Tag: Ireland

Outsourced Thinking? Experts Consider AI’s Impact on Our Brains

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A stylized, conceptual image showing a human head in profile with glowing digital lines extending from the brain area towards a floating, interconnected mesh of AI circuitry, symbolizing the outsourcing of thought processes. A question mark hangs over the point of connection. Image (and typos) generated by Nano Banana.
The cognitive shift: Experts are weighing the potential impact of AI reliance—is it a tool for enhancement, or are we outsourcing the very processes that keep our brains sharp? Image (and typos) generated by Nano Banana.

Source

RTÉ Prime Time

Summary

RTÉ explores emerging concerns about how widespread AI use may alter human cognition. With almost 800 million ChatGPT users globally and Ireland among the world’s heaviest users, scientists warn that convenience may carry hidden cognitive costs. An MIT study using brain-imaging found reduced neural activity when participants relied on ChatGPT, suggesting diminished critical evaluation. Irish neuroscientist Paul Dockree cautions that outsourcing tasks like writing and problem-solving could erode core cognitive skills, similar to over-dependency on GPS. Others draw parallels with aviation, where automation has weakened pilots’ manual skills. While some users praise AI’s benefits, experts warn of a potential “two-tier society” of empowered critical thinkers and those who grow dependent on automated reasoning.

Key Points

  • AI adoption is extremely rapid; Ireland has one of the highest global usage rates.
  • MIT research indicates reduced brain activity when using ChatGPT for problem-solving.
  • Cognitive scientists warn of long-term skill decline if AI replaces active thinking.
  • Automation parallels in aviation show how skills can erode without practice.
  • Public reactions are mixed, reflecting broader uncertainty about AI’s cognitive impact.

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URL

https://www.rte.ie/news/primetime/2025/1111/1543356-outsourced-thinking-experts-consider-ais-impact-on-our-brains/

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AI: Are we empowering students – or outsourcing the skills we aim to cultivate?

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A stark split image contrasting two outcomes of AI in education, divided by a jagged white lightning bolt. The left side shows a diverse group of three enthusiastic students working collaboratively on laptops, with one student raising their hands in excitement. Above them, a vibrant, glowing display of keywords like "CRITICAL THINKING," "CREATIVITY," and "COLLABORATION" emanates, surrounded by data and positive learning metrics. The right side shows a lone, somewhat disengaged male student working on a laptop, with a large, menacing robotic hand hovering above him. The robot hand has glowing red lights and is connected to a screen filled with complex, auto-generated data, symbolizing the automation of tasks and potential loss of human skills. Image (and typos) generated by Nano Banana.
The rise of AI in education presents a crucial dichotomy: are we using it to truly empower students and cultivate essential skills, or are we inadvertently outsourcing those very abilities to algorithms? This image visually explores the two potential paths for AI’s integration into learning, urging a thoughtful approach to its implementation. Image (and typos) generated by Nano Banana.

Source

The Irish Times

Summary

Jean Noonan reflects on the dual role of artificial intelligence in higher education—its capacity to empower learning and its risk of eroding fundamental human skills. As AI becomes embedded in teaching, research, and assessment, universities must balance innovation with integrity. AI literacy, she argues, extends beyond technical skills to include ethics, empathy, and critical reasoning. While AI enhances accessibility and personalised learning, over-reliance may weaken originality and authorship. Noonan calls for assessment redesigns that integrate AI responsibly, enabling students to learn with AI rather than be replaced by it. Collaboration between academia, industry, and policymakers is essential to ensure education cultivates judgment, creativity, and moral awareness. Echoing Orwell’s warning in 1984, she concludes that AI should enhance, not diminish, the intellectual and linguistic richness that defines human learning.

Key Points

  • AI literacy must combine technical understanding with ethics, empathy, and reflection.
  • Universities are rapidly adopting AI but risk outsourcing creativity and independent thought.
  • Over-reliance on AI tools can blur authorship and weaken critical engagement.
  • Assessment design should promote ethical AI use and active, independent learning.
  • Collaboration between universities and industry can align innovation with responsible practice.
  • Education must ensure AI empowers rather than replaces essential human skills.

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URL

https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/education/2025/10/29/ai-are-we-empowering-students-or-outsourcing-the-skills-we-aim-to-cultivate/

Summary generated by ChatGPT 5

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Leaving Cert changes won’t stand up to AI, says Colm O’Rourke

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In a modern secondary school classroom, a male teacher stands at the front, holding papers and gesturing towards a large interactive screen. The screen displays "LEAVING CERT CHANGES" with a big red 'X' over a document and the question "AI PROOF?", indicating concerns about the new exam structure's vulnerability to AI. Students in school uniforms are seated at desks, attentively listening. Image (and typos) generated by Nano Banana.
Concerns are mounting that recent changes to the Leaving Certificate examination system may not be robust enough to withstand the challenges posed by artificial intelligence. This image depicts a teacher discussing the new exam structure in a classroom, highlighting anxieties that the updated assessment methods might be susceptible to AI-driven academic dishonesty, compromising the integrity of the crucial final exams. Image (and typos) generated by Nano Banana.

Source

BreakingNews.ie

Summary

Former school principal and columnist Colm O’Rourke has criticised Ireland’s revised Leaving Certificate curriculum, warning that new assessment methods are ill-equipped to withstand the influence of generative AI. The updated curriculum, which allocates 40 % of marks to classroom-based work, was designed to promote continuous assessment but, according to O’Rourke, is now “too easy to cheat.” He argues that the reforms—developed years ago—have already been overtaken by technological change. O’Rourke calls for more in-person, practical, and oral-style assessments to ensure authenticity and to distinguish between genuine learning and AI-assisted shortcuts.

Key Points

  • The new Leaving Cert curriculum allocates 40 % of marks to class-based assessments.
  • O’Rourke warns these assessments are highly vulnerable to AI-assisted cheating.
  • He advocates for oral, practical, and supervised assessment formats instead.
  • The reforms were designed a decade ago and are now outdated by AI’s rapid rise.
  • He argues that genuine knowledge acquisition cannot be replicated by AI tools.

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URL

https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/leaving-cert-changes-wont-stand-up-to-ai-says-colm-orourke-1816115.html

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Artificial intelligence guidelines for teachers and students ‘notably absent’, report finds

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In a dimly lit, traditional lecture hall, a frustrated speaker stands at a podium addressing an audience. Behind him, a large screen prominently displays "AI GUIDELINES IN EDUCATION" with repeating red text emphasizing "NOTABLY ABSENT: GUIDELINES PENDING" and crossed-out sections for "Teacher Guidelines" and "Student Guidelines." A whiteboard to the side has a hand-drawn sad face next to "AI Policy?". Image (and typos) generated by Nano Banana.
A recent report has highlighted a significant void in modern education: the “notable absence” of clear artificial intelligence guidelines for both teachers and students. This image captures the frustration and confusion surrounding this lack of direction, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive policies to navigate the integration of AI responsibly within academic settings. Image (and typos) generated by Nano Banana.

Source

Irish Examiner

Summary

A new report by ESRI (Economic and Social Research Institute) highlights a significant policy gap: Irish secondary schools largely lack up-to-date acceptable use policies (AUPs) that address AI. Among 51 large schools surveyed, only six had current policies, and none included detailed guidance on AI’s use in teaching or learning. The Department of Education says it’s finalising AI guidance to address risks, opportunities, and responsible use. The absence of clear, central policy leaves individual schools and teachers making ad hoc decisions.

Key Points

  • Only 6 of 51 schools had updated acceptable use policies that could construe AI governance.
  • AI-specific guidelines are “notably absent” in existing school policies.
  • Schools are left to decide individually how (or whether) to integrate AI in learning without shared framework.
  • The Department of Education expects to issue formal guidance imminently, supported by resources via the AI Hub and Oide TiE.
  • Policymaking lag is highlighted as a disconnect between fast technology change and slow institutional response.

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URL

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-41715942.html

Summary generated by ChatGPT 5

GenAI News

How is AI affecting jobs for graduates in Ireland?

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A diverse group of recent graduates in caps and gowns stands in an urban street, looking towards a prominent female figure in a business blazer. Behind them, a glowing, networked digital map of Ireland hovers in the sky, interconnected with arrows representing data flow and opportunities. The scene symbolizes AI's impact on Irish graduate jobs. Generated by Nano Banana.
As AI reshapes the global job market, Irish graduates navigate a new landscape of opportunities and challenges. This image captures the intersection of traditional academic achievement with the digital transformation, illustrating how artificial intelligence is influencing career paths across Ireland. Image generated by Nano Banana.

Source

The Irish Times

Summary

Irish graduates are facing a shifting job market due to AI and automation, but the impact is more nuanced than dramatic headlines suggest. While graduate hiring — especially in accountancy and related fields — is already being affected, broader forces (offshoring, economic conditions) also play a big part. Experts say AI is more reshaping tasks than replacing entire jobs: automating routine tasks, meaning graduates must adapt by emphasising creativity, human judgement, decision-making and transparency. Those who succeed will be ones who treat career development as lifelong learning, stay technically literate, and stand out in how they communicate, think, and add value beyond what a machine can do.

Key Points

  • Graduate roles in fields like accountancy are being reduced, partly due to AI/automation.
  • Media coverage tends toward exaggeration; many effects are emerging but not yet fully realised.
  • Tasks that require creativity, human interaction, or decision-making are harder for AI to replicate; these are where graduates can differentiate themselves.
  • Familiarity with AI tools and continuous learning are becoming essential parts of employability.
  • Graduates who write well, show personality, judgement, and can work with newer technologies have an advantage.

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URL

https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/education/2025/09/20/how-is-ai-affecting-jobs-for-graduates-in-ireland/

Summary generated by ChatGPT 5

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