Educators, administrators, and state officials gathered at Smithfield High School on August 27 for a discussion about introducing artificial intelligence into the classroom.
The event was hosted by Rhode Island Congressman Gabe Amo (D), the co-sponsor of the Literacy in Future Technologies (LIFT) Artificial Intelligence Act, a bipartisan bill to improve artificial intelligence literacy for K-12.   Amo currently serves on the Science, Space, and Technology Committee. 
The  LIFT AI Act  would:  
Support a grant program within NSF for research and development of AI literacy curriculum and evaluation methods for K-12, ensuring that educational materials are learner-centered, project based, and adaptable. 
Support professional learning opportunities for educators, principals, and school leaders to enhance their AI literacy and proficiency through courses, mentoring, and best practice development. 
Promote the creation of hands-on learning tools, the integration of AI literacy into existing curriculums, and the development of evaluation tools to assess AI literacy proficiency. 
“The world is changing,” Amo said, noting that artificial intelligence plays an “important role in our lives. We want to be in a position of readiness and preparation instead of fear. The goal is to harness the power of this technology for good.”
The other participants in the forum were Brian Tardiff, Chief Digital Officer, State of Rhode Island; Lisa Odom-Villella, Deputy Commissioner, Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE); Mike Hobe, Director of College and Career Readiness, (RIDE); Joe Mazzone, President, Rhode Island Computer Science Teachers Association; Suresh Venkatasubramanian, Professor of Computer Science and Data Science, Brown University; and Shriram Krishnamurthi, Professor of Computer Science, Brown University.
Former Rhode Island Congressman James Langevin, who serves as the Chair for the Governor’s AI Task Force and is the Distinguished Chair at the Institute for Cybersecurity and Emerging Technologies at Rhode Island College, said Amo’s legislation was “so timely.”
Langevin said educators need to be aware of “the downsides and ethical use” of artificial intelligence.
“It’s already here,” said Smithfield Public Schools Superintendent Dawn Bartz. “In many ways, our students are ahead of us.”
“If it’s there, (students) are going to use it,” said Lora Calise, a World Languages Teacher at the high school. “They need to know how to use it. As educators, our chore is to be educated ourselves.”
Bartz was “thrilled” to have Smithfield schools as the venue for the discussion. She was interested in finding out more about artificial intelligence and how it would impact education: “I’m here to learn.”
Amo noted there is a “certain inevitability” for students and educators to learn how to use AI considering the way it is impacting the world right now.
“It is global and it’s local,” he added. “We have to be ready.”