Preventing the use of student data in commercial artificial intelligence

In a crucial move aimed at bolstering cybersecurity and protecting the digital privacy of the most vulnerable groups in the digital society, strict regulatory guidelines have emerged prohibiting the use of student data and academic information to train commercial artificial intelligence models. This decision comes at a time when the world is witnessing an unprecedented boom in generative AI technologies, raising serious concerns about how data is collected and exploited by major technology companies.

General context and technical background of the decision

Since the advent of the generative artificial intelligence revolution and the launch of Large Language Models (LLMs), tech companies have been eagerly seeking massive amounts of data to train their algorithms and improve their accuracy. Educational data, including student essays, academic records, and interactions on educational platforms, is a treasure trove for these companies due to its quality and linguistic diversity. However, using this data without explicit consent or a clear legal framework constitutes a blatant violation of user privacy, especially since a large segment of students are minors whose data requires strict legal protection.

The importance of protecting educational data

The importance of this ban lies in its putting an end to commercial practices that treat students' intellectual property and personal data as a free commodity. Training business models on this data not only violates privacy but also raises concerns about intellectual property, as students' work could be used to create competing or commercial content without any benefit to them and without their or their parents' prior consent.

Expected impacts locally and globally

Globally, this trend aligns with stringent international regulations such as the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which imposes strict limitations on the processing of children's data. Regionally and locally, these steps reflect a maturing digital legislative framework, as countries seek to strengthen their sovereignty over national data and prevent its leakage to external parties under the guise of technological development.

This decision is expected to push educational technology (EdTech) companies to reconsider their privacy policies and move towards developing "closed" or educationally-focused AI models, trained and utilized solely within the educational environment without sharing data with third parties for commercial purposes. This shift will ensure a secure digital learning environment that enhances users' trust in e-learning tools.

The future of the relationship between education and artificial intelligence

This prohibition does not mean halting progress or abandoning artificial intelligence in education; rather, it means regulating its use so that it serves the student, not the other way around. The future is moving towards "ethical artificial intelligence" that respects individual rights and adheres to legal standards, which requires educational institutions and legislative bodies to work together to ensure continued innovation without compromising fundamental values ​​and principles of privacy.