Potential and pitfalls of generative AI – considerations for RTOs and VET providers

While Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers many potential benefits for registered training organisations (RTOs) and vocational education and training (VET) providers in the early childhood education and care (ECEC) space, there are also some potential pitfalls.

The West Australian Government’s Training Accreditation Council’s (TAC) most recent monthly newsletter contained an exploration of The potential and pitfalls for VET providers, an extract of which appears below. 

“It’s important to recognise that AI has been around for some time and is likely here to stay,” the article notes. 

“In the regulated VET environment, the challenge lies in keeping pace with technological advancements.”

In the VET sector, AI tools like ChatGPT offer various advantages for trainers, assessors, and learners. These include:

• writing questions and providing feedback
• designing marking guides
• creating assessment examples
• generating discussion prompts
• crafting session plans
• personalizing learning experiences
• curating learning resources

While AI presents opportunities, there are also pitfalls that need careful attention, such as:

• lack of regulation and governance
• data privacy and security concerns
• potential bias and discrimination
• limited transparency and understanding of AI outputs
• technological limitations
• ethical and moral considerations
• the costs involved and effectiveness of software solutions which flag when AI has been used

“However your RTO intends to use or not use AI, the development and implementation of rules and guidelines that are accessible to all staff and learners becomes crucial,” authors note. 

For more information on this topic, the TAC webinar Generative AI – The Potential and Pitfalls for VET, is available on TAC’s YouTube channel.