South Korea’s AI Textbooks Face Parent Skepticism

A report in The Financial Times indicates that certain parents have reservations regarding the South Korean government’s intentions to introduce tablets with AI-powered textbooks into classrooms

The tablets are expected to be introduced next year, and by 2028, instructors will be utilizing these AI textbooks for all subjects except music, art, physical education, and ethics. The government has not disclosed numerous specifics regarding the process, except that the material is intended to be tailored to accommodate varying learning speeds. Teachers are expected to utilize dashboards to monitor the progress of their pupils.

In response, over 50,000 parents have signed a petition urging the government to prioritize the well-being of students over the development of new technology. The petition states, “We, as parents, are already experiencing a multitude of unprecedented issues that have arisen from [our children’s] exposure to digital devices.”

Lee Sun-youn, a mother of two, expressed concern to the Financial Times that the excessive use of digital devices could hinder her children’s brain development, concentration, and problem-solving abilities. She stated, “They already use smartphones and tablets excessively.”