The CivXNow coalition has released a new report examining the implications of artificial intelligence for civic education and democracy, available here.
Key highlights:
- Explores how AI may affect core civic knowledge, skills, dispositions and behaviors
- Provides recommendations for educational practices and policies to leverage AI's potential while mitigating risks
- Calls for a major national investment in civic education to prepare students for the AI era
- Proposes research agenda on AI's impacts on youth civic engagement and social cohesion
The report opens by grounding its analysis in this core principle from the Declaration of Independence, examining how AI may impact our understanding of human equality, rights, and civic responsibilities.
It outlines potential positive and negative effects of AI on civic knowledge, skills, dispositions and behaviors. For example, AI could provide engaging historical simulations, but also distort events and spread misinformation. The authors argue educators must intentionally shape AI's development and use to support rather than undermine democratic aims.
Key recommendations include:
1. A major national investment in civic education, on par with STEM funding
2. Technical assistance to help schools responsibly adopt AI
3. New standards for digital citizenship and AI literacy
4. Research on AI's impacts on youth civic engagement
5. Development of AI tools to combat misinformation
The report concludes that thoughtful implementation of AI in civic education could help create a more inclusive democracy, but also warns of risks if its development is not guided by democratic values. It calls on educators, policymakers and researchers to collaborate in steering AI's evolution to strengthen rather than erode social cohesion and civic participation.
