Concerns raised over WRDSB's use of AI

A social media post made by the Waterloo Regional District School Board (WRDSB) is causing some backlash because of its use of artificial intelligence to help write it.

The post describes a new addition to the English curriculum: Understanding Contemporary First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Voices. At the bottom of the post, it reads, "This post was created with the assistance of #AI, but is made better by humans!"

Many people online commented on it, questioning why AI was used at all.

"So my first thought was how much about the post was actually written by a human and how much of it was actually written by AI," Bangishimo, co-director of the Willow River Centre, said.

In April, the school board started posting at the start of the week using the hashtag #MixtapeMonday. The goal is to experiment with artificial intelligence to share information.

The post about the new course does carry the hashtag, but it's the only one made on Monday that mentioned AI.

“Almost creates that narrative that they don't care, when we're like, we'll just get a computer to do it," Bangishimo said.

The post said the course provides a unique opportunity to explore and understand Indigenous perspectives, and fosters empathy, respect, and reconciliation within the community. Bangishimo wonders why it was not fully written by a human, when it relates to reconciliation.

"It doesn't show your dedication to working with the Indigenous community when you're relying on a computer program to write it for you. It loses the meaning of what reconciliation should be, of putting that time and that energy, your own words into creating something like that," Bangishimo said.

No one from the board was available for an interview, but told CTV News in an email that the AI mixtape helps create engaging new messages to share.

“Importantly, this includes a transparent approach by explaining how AI was used to inform the creation of the posts, but that they are edited and improved by people,” Eusis Dougan-McKenzie, WRDSB executive officer, said in the email. “The #MixtapeMonday post was used to help further promote this course with our community, in an effort to increase awareness of this unique and innovative academic offering for students. We do realise that it caused confusion and harm and apologise for that. The promotional post is not connected to the class."

Bangishimo has used AI in other platforms and said when creating art, it often produces stereotypical imagery of Indigenous people. They hope if AI continues to be used, someone is dedicated to checking it.

"That was automatically a red flag for me, because I know how harmful that can be if it's not used in the right way," Bangishimo said.