[Insight & Opinion] AI Textbooks Captured by Internet Garbage Information

Errors Such as Dokdo Labeled as "Territorial Dispute Area"
Limitations of Internet-Dependent Artificial Intelligence

The Ministry of Education's hastily developed artificial intelligence (AI) textbooks have been exposed for their flaws. Some AI textbooks that passed the Ministry's approval describe Dokdo as a "territorial dispute area." Criticism has arisen that AI textbooks, which are supposed to provide customized knowledge education, are effectively selling out our Dokdo to Japan. They also label the Jeju 4.3 Incident as a "communist riot" and belittle the Yeosu-Suncheon October 19 Incident as a "rebellion."

The approval agency has completely ignored the Ministry of Education's "Common Compilation Guidelines," which require adherence to the "ideals, values, and fundamental principles of the Constitution" and prohibit content that denies the "territory of the Republic of Korea." The excuse that such answers only appear on teacher screens and therefore were not questioned is unacceptable. The approval for these textbooks must be immediately revoked and they should be disqualified.

The problems identified during the approval process are just the tip of the iceberg. Errors and mistakes in AI textbooks are not limited to territorial or historical issues. Concerns that students are defenselessly exposed to the fatal weakness of generative AI, known as "hallucination," have been confirmed. They are also helpless against much more aggressive deepfake attacks. The inherent limitations of generative AI, which relies on the internet flooded with "garbage information," cannot be helped.

Current generative AI, which simply analyzes internet data based on linguistic probabilistic models and presents it in a flashy manner, clearly cannot be expected to judge the authenticity or ethical right and wrong of information. Additional functions to block socially controversial profanity, hate speech, discrimination, and incitement are inevitably very limited. Ultimately, students using AI textbooks will flounder in a "swamp of garbage information" that fills the internet.

There is no empirical data confirming the educational value of AI textbooks, which are set to be introduced in schools starting next March. This is not unique to us; such data does not exist anywhere in the world. The Ministry of Education Minister's arbitrary "rosy hope circuit" that "there are quite a few parents in favor" is not credible at all. The world's first AI textbook only serves to satisfy the Minister's personal vanity.

The AI textbook project, suddenly pushed forward by the Minister of Education, is the "Four Major Rivers Project" of the education sector. There was no social consensus on the introduction of AI textbooks. It has not even been confirmed whether AI textbooks can be trusted enough to handle students' customized knowledge education. Rather, it is only logical to worry about "digital addiction" caused by AI textbooks.

Teachers' reactions to AI textbooks are also cold. Only 7% of teachers believe digital education helps educational competitiveness. A negative evaluation comes from 76% of teachers, more than ten times as many, who think it will not help. Teachers' preparation to use AI textbooks is also a mess. They are expected to enter classrooms after only six hours of training.

The position of education offices, which must secure a "subscription fee" of 5 trillion won over four years, is also difficult. Meanwhile, private education companies, which were driven into a "cartel" last year, are excited with expectations of a "money shower" from the Minister of Education. There is also uncomfortable news that three companies have swept up 61% of the AI textbook market.

[Rebuttal Report] Regarding

Our newspaper reported on November 18 in the column titled that "△ Errors such as introducing Dokdo as a territorial dispute area occurred △ It was confirmed that students were defenselessly exposed to the fatal weakness of generative AI hallucination △ 76% of teachers responded negatively to AI digital textbooks △ A subscription fee of 5 trillion won over four years must be secured."
In response, the Ministry of Education stated, "There are no incorrect answers related to Dokdo, the Jeju 4.3 Incident, or the Yeosu-Suncheon October 19 Incident in the approved AI textbooks viewed by students. Hallucination is unlikely to occur in the generative AI of approved AI textbooks, and survey results show that many teachers have a positive view of digital education including AI textbooks. Subscription fees for AI textbooks are currently under price negotiations with publishers."
This report is pursuant to the mediation of the Press Arbitration Commission.

Lee Deok-hwan, Professor Emeritus at Sogang University, Chemistry and Science Communication