Heidi Julien on AI’s Threat to Digital Literacy
UBNow featured an article highlighting Heidi Julien’s work on the impact of AI on digital literacy. Julien, a professor of information science at the Graduate School of Education, warns that AI chatbots like ChatGPT are not true search engines and often generate incomplete or inaccurate results.
Many people lack strong digital literacy skills and may not recognize the shortcomings of these AI tools, increasing the risk of misinformation. Julien argues that this issue needs attention at the policy level. Countries like Finland prioritize digital literacy in education, but many others, including the U.S., do not. Without proper education, people may struggle to interact with AI responsibly. She urges policymakers to integrate digital literacy into school curriculum to ensure individuals can critically evaluate AI-generated information and use technology effectively.
