In a Cambridge classroom, a group of young students are learning how to train and refine their own AI models, gaining a deep understanding of this transformative technology. As 10-year-old Joseph explains, “AI gets a lot of things wrong,” but with the right guidance, he and his peers are able to quickly correct their models, showcasing an innate grasp of artificial intelligence and machine learning that eludes many adults.
This coding club at St Paul’s C of E primary school is part of a growing movement to ensure that the next generation is equipped to navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of AI. Philip Colligan, the chief executive of the Raspberry Pi Foundation, a leading digital education charity, warns of a looming “social divide” between those who understand how AI systems work and can control them, and those who risk being disempowered by the technology.
Colligan’s concerns are echoed by Simon Peyton Jones, a computer researcher who helped develop the national computing curriculum in 2014. Both experts argue that AI literacy must become a universal part of education, on par with reading and writing, to prevent a widening gap between the tech-savvy and the tech-illiterate.
This imperative has taken on added urgency as the use of AI systems nationwide has surged by 78% in the past year, according to Ipsos polling. Meanwhile, some politicians, such as former Labour leader Keir Starmer, have suggested that coding lessons are becoming redundant, as AI automates an increasing amount of software development.
However, Colligan dismisses this notion as “flawed and dangerous,” emphasising that as more and more decisions in areas like finance, healthcare, and criminal justice are made by automated systems, understanding how these systems work is crucial for citizens to advocate for their rights and critically evaluate the information presented to them.
In the coding club, the seven- to 10-year-old students are not only learning the mechanics of AI, but also grappling with its ethical implications. As Joseph observes, “If the AI is in charge of us, we wouldn’t really be able to control what we’re doing and that would be bad.”
Ensuring that all children, regardless of their socioeconomic background, have access to AI literacy education is essential, Colligan argues, to prevent a widening of the digital divide. “Those kids who are in communities where they don’t have access to [AI literacy teaching] will be passively on the end of a whole load of automated decisions,” he warns.
As the world rapidly evolves, with the internet becoming increasingly embedded in our daily lives, the need to empower the next generation with a deep understanding of transformative technologies like AI has never been more pressing. By equipping children with these critical skills, the UK can safeguard a future where all citizens have the agency to shape the technological forces shaping their lives.
