WAB Learns: AI: Ethics

Understanding Ethical Issues of AI

Despite the power and potential of AI to transform teaching and learning, it carries significant ethical issues. These should be understood as well as possible before going too far. Resources on this page showcase some of the ethical issues associated. Our approach so far has been guided by publications from UNESCO, UNICEF and more. For the best current overview, see the UNESCO resources to the right of this page.

Some key issues in AI ethics include:

Equity & Fairness and the human costs of AI
Sustainability and the environmental costs of AI
Avoiding Biases & Discrimination
Safety & Safeguarding
Academic Integrity & Fair Use of Imagery

AI Ethics Resources & Demonstrations

Learn & Teach About Ethics in AI

Teaching AI Ethics series by Leon Furze
Bias, Environment, Truth, Copyright, Privacy, Datafication, Affect Recognition, Human Labour, Power. A detailed series of posts and teaching materials.
Ethics of AI - University of Helsinki
A free online MOOC (course) that unpacks the ethics of AI.

Bias and Stereotypes

Interactive Article: How AI reduces the world to stereotypes
Excellent, in-depth, interactive article that demonstrates how AI systems propagate bias, using image generator examples.
"What I Mean When I Say Critical AI Literacy" by Prof. Maha Bali
Critical Thinking, Critical Pedagogy, Justice, Critique of Potential Harms & more.

Environmental Impacts of AI

What Are The Environmental Costs of AI?
A footprint estimator for AI use in schools. What discussions does this raise?
Explaining the Environmental Impacts of AI Data Centres
Great explanation (2025) from AI Open-Source Platform HuggingFace.
Calculating the Carbon Cost of ChatGPT, by Chris Pointon
Nothing is truly free, especially for the planet.

Misinformation, Deepfakes and Fake News

AI-generated deepfakes are moving fast. Policymakers can't keep up
AI images are now so convincing that misuse of the tech can drive misinformation, fake news and reputational damage.
Deepfake Popes and Voice-Clones Celebrities. What is coming next?
Misinformation, mistakes and the Pope in a puffer: what rapidly evolving AI can – and can’t – do

Intellectual Property

The Impacts of AI On Arts & Creators [Forbes]
"AI Is Coming For Commercial Art Jobs. Can It Be Stopped?"
Ethics & Privacy Concerns in AI Arts Apps
Artists' rights and privacy concerns on apps based on training sets using artists' styles and imagery.

Safeguarding, Safety & Human Costs

OpenAI Used Kenyan Workers on Less Than $2 Per Hour to Make ChatGPT Less Toxic
What are the human costs of safeguarding technology?
AI-generated child sexual abuse images could flood the internet. Now there are calls for action
The vulnerable will be put at even more risk with deepfake technology.

UNESCO Guidance

UNESCO Guide to GenAI in Education & Research
[Sept 7, 2023]. An excellent place to start in thinking about adapting to GenAI. Comprehensive & Concise.

If you only have time to read one thing, read this guide.

1. What is GenAI & how does it work?
2. Controversies & Implications for Education
3. Regulating GenAI in Education
4. Towards a Policy Framework for Education & Research
5. Facilitating Creative Use of GenAI in Education & Research
6. GenAI & the Future of Education & Research

The graphics below are adaptations from the Policy section.

Right-click 'open in new tab' to make larger.

Quick Demos

Some food for thought in these demonstrations of GenAI.

Real or Fake Text? Can you spot it?
Can you distinguish between human and machine-generated text?
Real or Fake 2024
From Leon Furze - in 2024, AI depefakes became photo-real. Can you tell the difference in these examples? How did you work it out?
Which Face Is Real?
Can you recognise real photos vs AI-generated photos?
HuggingFace: Average Diffusion
Demonstrations of implicit bias in diffusion models. Try it out.
ChatPDF - Chat with the OXFAM Guide for Inclusive Language
Use-case for ChatPDF: your own personal coach to ask questions about inclusive language.

UNESCO AI Competencies for Students & Teachers

UNSCO AI Competency Frameworks for Students & Teachers
Link to UNESCO Competency frameworks for Students & Teachers, converted to spreadsheet format.

AI: Ethics

"The transformation of education and research to be triggered by GenAI, if any, should be rigorously reviewed and steered by a human-centred approach."

Understanding Ethical Issues of AI

AI Ethics Resources & Demonstrations

UNESCO Guidance

Quick Demos

UNESCO AI Competencies for Students & Teachers

UNICEF - AI & Children