Korea's AI Textbook Program Faces Skepticism from Parents

Some parents have expressed concerns about the South Korean government's plan to introduce tablets with AI-based textbooks into classrooms, the Financial Times reports.

The tablets are due to be released next year, and by 2028, teachers will be using the AI ​​textbooks in every subject except music, art, physical education and ethics. The government did not share many details about how it would work, but said teachers would use a dashboard to monitor students’ progress, tailoring the material to their learning pace.

In response, more than 50,000 parents signed a petition calling on the government to focus less on new technologies and more on students’ overall well-being. “As parents, we are already facing unprecedented challenges due to our children’s exposure to digital devices.”

“I worry that excessive use of digital devices could have a negative impact on children’s brain development, concentration and problem-solving skills,” Lee Sun-yeon, a mother of two, told the FT. “Children already use smartphones and tablets too much.”