Like other industries finding useful ways to use artificial intelligence, or AI, the education sector can benefit by finding meaningful ways to use this new technology to improve students’ lives.
Hence, Visible Internet Inc. (VII) launched its eponymous student platform, which is an “evolving technology that incorporates cutting-edge AI image-recognition algorithms trained to identify Internet activity that is non-conducive to the well-being and education of students.”
“New digital learning solutions equipped with AI are now making revolutionary changes benefiting students with varied interests and capabilities,” VII CEO Tony Fawaz was quoted in a statement as saying. “With the advances in AI being incorporated in a technology used in education setting such as Visible Internet, we are duty-bound by placing student protection from any online risks at the heart of our innovation, helping them not only become digitally literate but responsible individuals.”
Custom-built
THE San Francisco, California-based VII cited a report as saying that experts expect AI in the US education sector to grow by 47.50 percent during the period of 2017-2021.
Fawaz explained that, at its core, the AI deep-learning algorithm has the capability to capture the screen image straight off the student’s device and categorize its content, then notify a designated adult if the content includes bullying behavior, inappropriate, self-harm, games or social-networking content.
Using custom-built AI image-recognition algorithm, the Visible Internet platform categorizes content to identify possible cause-and-effect scenarios that are contributing to declining student well-being. To understand when students are viewing sites that promote self-harm, schools can get out in front of the issue before they escalate into life-threatening situations, VII explained.
VII said its platform uses AI machine-learning algorithms in a pragmatic and logical way to push back against the destructive side of the Internet.
Operationalization
The company explained that the system captures a mirror image straight from the Internet device used by students.
Using AI image-recognition algorithms, the system categorizes the image into different data sets.
Afterward, content recognized as inappropriate, pornography, bullying language, self-harm is flagged.
VII said the AI is trained to recognize patterns of possible cause-and-effect scenarios that contribute to declining student well-being, helping school staff get in front of the issue before it escalates into life-threatening situations. With depression rates skyrocketing among students, the need to find out where the illness is starting is growing.
The system, afterward, notifies a designated adult if the student Internet activity is categorized as inappropriate, games, social networking, bully behavior or self-harm.
Replacement
THE company explained that the Visible Internet platform “was designed with security and privacy first, with the help of Amazon cloud server and employing SSL [Secure Sockets Layer] encryption to protect information from unauthorized access.”
While AI will not replace teachers altogether, VII said it believes it is possible that it will reshape the way teachers teach and students learn, “paving the way to create a learning environment that is far more productive and influential.”
As the influence of digital technology, especially the Internet, has increased, the concern among educators about its impact has also grown, according to VII.
“Even it offers unlimited opportunities to young students, it may also bring in risks to their way of life, undermining the so-called social fabric as they grow into adults.”
Engagement
By implementing VII’s student app in schools, there will then be a shared responsibility between educators and parents, according to the company.
“A solution integrated with our technology fosters engagement and coaches students whenever there is a disruption in their digital journey, which is mostly brought by online contents and media that is non-conducive to learning,” the company said.
“Because everything had become intuitive now, even young children can learn anything on their own—technology and Internet, included,” it added.
Let’s face the fact that there is nothing to dislike about the Internet but, as awesome as it may seem, the majority of us may not know entirely the risks it can bring, especially when the one using it is vulnerable to harm, VII said.
The company clarified that its Visible Internet Student Application has been developed not to spy on young students’ online activities, but to promote well-meaning supervision.
“Our company believes that now is the time to pivot our strategy toward one of our country’s most pressing problems—that is, to ensure children and young students understand the direct implication, consequences and best practices when using devices, social media and the internet,” VII’s statement read. R