Italy Trial Teaching With AI Assistance In Schools To Improve IT Skills

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (photo: x @GiorgiaMeloni)

JAKARTA - Italy is starting to apply artificial intelligence (AI) in its schools as a step to reduce the gap in digital skills with other countries in the European Union.

The government of the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, has launched a trial program for AI use in 15 classrooms spread across four regions, hoping to expand this initiative if the results are positive.

Italy's Minister of Education, Giuseppe Valditara, stated that AI-based software on tablets and computers in class will serve as a "virtual assistant" that can facilitate the learning process for students and help teachers develop increasingly personal education methods.

According to data from Eurostat, Italy is currently at the bottom in terms of basic digital skills among 27 EU member states, only better than Latvia, Poland, Bulgaria, and Romania.

However, more details regarding this program are still minimal. Valditara's office has not confirmed the names of the schools that will test this new technology.

Badminton Bastagli, head of research at the think tank education of Londazione Agnelli, said that the evaluation of this program is very promising and is expected to provide insight into the effectiveness and needs needed for the implementation of AI in the future.

Despite this digitalization boost, Valditara also introduced a ban on total cell phone use in class, even for educational purposes. Previous efforts to digitize education in Italy, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic, were experiencing difficulties due to the high average age of teachers, of which more than half were over 50 years of age.

Prime Minister Meloni made AI one of the main themes in this year's G7 Summit, where world leaders agreed to deepen cooperation in utilizing the benefits and managing the risks of AI development.