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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING BMO clients face outages in Canada, U.S. following data centre fire alarm
Bank of Montreal clients on both sides of the border Thursday morning have reported outages with banking services. BMO said its technical team is investigating.
Drive one of these vehicles? You may pay 37 per cent more than average insurance costs due to thefts
As the number of auto theft incidents rises in Canada, so have insurance premiums for drivers, even the ones whose vehicles aren't stolen.
B.C. mortgage broker ran $270-million Ponzi scheme, then fled Canada, bankruptcy trustee says
The trustee appointed to manage the bankruptcies of a Victoria mortgage company and its owner has concluded that they committed "numerous offences" and operated as a "massive Ponzi scheme."
'I'm not wealthy': Ontario senior shocked she owes $40,000 in capital gains after gifting land
An Ontario senior who wanted to help her daughter and grandson eventually own homes one day decided to give them two lots on her property as a gift—but she didn’t know it would eventually cost her tens of thousands of dollars.
Want to turn off Meta AI? You can't - but there are some workarounds
If you use Facebook, WhatsApp or Instagram, you've probably noticed a new character pop up answering search queries or eagerly offering tidbits of information in your feeds, with varying degrees of accuracy.
opinion Trump's Republicans falling far behind in fundraising, infrastructure
In his latest column for CTVNews.ca, Washington political analyst Eric Ham explains how and why Republicans -- up and down the ballot -- are falling far behind Democrats in both fundraising and infrastructure.
Canadians are eyeing moves to these cities for more affordable housing
Faced with elevated housing prices, half of Canadians in the country's largest cities are considering moving to places with more affordable housing.
Canadians' interest in buying EVs fades as barriers, concerns remain: J.D. Power
A new study finds fewer Canadians say they're interested in buying an electric vehicle as concerns remain about limited driving ranges, high prices and a lack of charging stations.
McDonald's says US$18 Big Mac meal was an 'exception' and their prices haven't risen that much
McDonald’s is fighting back against viral tweets and media reports that it says have exaggerated its price increases.