AI Leap Risk Assessment

The AI Leap programme and the AI-based learning application may not sufficiently support the agreed goals of Estonian education, general competences and students’ holistic development.

The pedagogical principles of the learning application have been developed in cooperation with Estonian education researchers, and a long-term study has been commissioned to assess its impact. The programme emphasises meaningful learning and the development of critical AI literacy.

The use of artificial intelligence may undermine the reliability of assessment and the culture of honest learning.

AI Leap supports schools in establishing common principles for AI use and teachers in reconsidering assessment so that greater attention is given to the learning process. The learning application supports learning; it is not used to assess students.

The use of the learning application may weaken the teacher’s pedagogical leadership and the teacher–student relationship.

The programme primarily consists of training and seminars that develop teachers’ knowledge and practical skills in using AI. The programme explicitly places teachers at the centre: the learning application supports a teacher-led learning process and does not replace teachers’ pedagogical judgement or feedback.

The use of the learning application may increase teachers’ perceived workload and change fatigue and reduce their capacity to implement change.

In addition to training, AI Leap supports the establishment of learning circles, collaborative professional learning and the sharing of experience in schools, so that AI use reflects schools’ actual needs. Subject-specific sample materials are also being developed, and good practices are being collected and shared.

Schools may have limited means and control to fulfil the legal obligations associated with using the learning application and to protect the rights of students and teachers.

The roles of the parties, terms of use and data-processing conditions are set out in agreements between the AI Leap Foundation, technology providers and schools. Schools do not have to address these matters alone. The Foundation has conducted a data protection impact assessment and provides schools with training, guidance materials and technical support.

The learning application may not be sufficiently grounded in the Estonian curriculum, Estonian-language learning resources and cultural context, and may thereby threaten the sustainability of the Estonian language and culture.

Cooperation with the Institute of the Estonian Language includes evaluating the learning application’s conformity with Estonian-language and cultural criteria and improving the availability of Estonian-language material to large language models.

An AI-based learning application controlled by an external service provider may mediate values that conflict with the fundamental values of the Estonian state.

Developing critical AI literacy is one of the programme’s central aims. Training materials and teacher learning circles emphasise that AI outputs are not value-neutral and should be critically evaluated together with the teacher.

Widespread use of AI-based learning applications may foster the anthropomorphisation of AI and students’ disengagement from human social interaction.

The learning application is intended primarily for teaching and learning, and training emphasises that it is a tool with limited capabilities. Many schools have internal rules governing the use of learning tools and technology.

Data entered by students and teachers into the learning application, or generated through its use, may become accessible to unauthorised persons or be used contrary to the rights and interests of the persons concerned.

All parties involved in the data-processing chain apply data-protection and cybersecurity measures, including access controls. Data-processing conditions and the responsibilities of the parties are set out in agreements. The user interface warns users not to enter sensitive information or personal data.

A price increase by a service or infrastructure provider supporting the AI-based learning application may make the solution burdensome for the state budget.

The initial technical implementation of the learning application has been kept relatively simple, and provider-specific solutions that would make switching providers expensive or difficult have been avoided.

A disruption to a service supporting the AI-based learning application may interfere with teaching and impede education.

Use of the learning application is not a compulsory or critical part of teaching and learning. Education can continue if the service becomes unavailable. AI Leap also provides users with technical support when necessary.

An AI-based learning application built using Estonia’s own competences and infrastructure may be lower in quality or security than a solution based on a foreign cloud service.

The solutions currently in use rely on services provided by the world’s leading large language model developers, whose quality and security have been subject to international audits.