AI hyped? A horizon scan of discourse on artificial intelligence in education (AIED) and development
A horizon scan of the key themes that have emerged over the past few years during the AIEd debate is offered, including geopolitical dominance through education and technological innovation, and creation and expansion of market niches.
Abstract
ABSTRACT The study seeks to understand how the AI ecosystem might be implicated in a form of knowledge production which reifies particular kinds of epistemologies over others. Using text mining and thematic analysis, this paper offers a horizon scan of the key themes that have emerged over the past few years during the AIEd debate. We begin with a discussion of the tools we used to experiment with digital methods for data collection and analysis. This paper then examines how AI in education systems are being conceived, hyped, and potentially deployed into global education contexts. Findings are categorised into three themes in the discourse: (1) geopolitical dominance through education and technological innovation; (2) creation and expansion of market niches, and (3) managing narratives, perceptions, and norms.