To ask the Minister of Education to detail any steps his Department is taking to ensure that schools address the risks posed by Artificial Intelligence, including misinformation and deepfakes, as part of digital literacy education.

My Department provides guidance to schools in relation to online safety risks to children. The ‘Safeguarding and Child Protection in Schools - A Guide for Schools’ refers to resources such as those provided through the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland and also the Safer Schools Northern Ireland App. These provide advice, guidance and information on a range of safeguarding issues to schools, parents/carers and pupils.

The Safer Schools Northern Ireland App has issued a guide this month to all schools, aimed at preventing and addressing exploitation related to images generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI). This guidance includes creating awareness-raising initiatives to inform students, staff and parents about the risks of online image manipulation, responsible image sharing and potential dangers of AI-generated images.

The Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) also offer a range of resources covering online safety and digital literacy including the Digital for Life and Work non-statutory guidance, Digital for Life and Work | CCEA.

The statutory curriculum already includes elements of digital literacy and online safety, particularly within the Using ICT and Personal Development and Mutual Understanding areas at primary level and Learning for Life and Work at post-primary level. My officials are working with CCEA to ensure that emerging AI-related risks, including misinformation and deep fakes, are appropriately reflected within digital literacy education.

Departmental officials will continue to engage closely with key stakeholders in relation to the emergent challenges and risks posed by AI, ensuring that they also take into account the benefits that AI can bring to education.