Those who do not understand what an algorithm is cannot judge what an algorithm does to them.
AI literacy -- critical thinking about algorithms, data protection and AI-generated content -- must be mandatory from secondary school. ETH Zurich and EPFL are to become national competence centres for AI education.
Swiss pupils use AI tools daily -- ChatGPT for essays, Midjourney for images, GitHub Copilot for code. But they do not understand how these systems work. They cannot assess whether an AI-generated answer is correct, why an algorithm displays certain content, or which of their data is being used in the process [1].
This is like teaching a generation to drive without explaining that cars need brakes.
The 2022 PISA study shows: Swiss 15-year-olds perform well in mathematics and natural sciences, but digital competence -- especially the critical evaluation of digital information -- remains below average [2]. In a world where AI generates billions of texts, images and videos every day, the ability to distinguish fact from fiction is a basic skill like reading and arithmetic.
| Country | Measure | Since |
|---|---|---|
| Finland | "Elements of AI" -- free online course, target: 1% of the population | 2018 |
| Estonia | Programming from year 1, AI strategy in the curriculum | 2019 |
| Singapore | AI for Everyone / AI for Industry -- national continuing education | 2019 |
Switzerland introduced the Lehrplan 21 competence area "Media and Computer Science" [3]. This is a start, but it covers AI-specific topics only marginally.
The ETH AI Center, opened in October 2020 in Zurich-Oerlikon, already brings together AI research across departmental boundaries [4]. The EPFL AI Center does the same in Romandy. Both institutions could assume a leading role in AI education -- not only in research but also in teacher training and the development of teaching materials for all school levels.
[1] OECD, Education at a Glance 2024: Digital Skills and AI Literacy.
[2] OECD, PISA 2022 Results, Vol. I: Switzerland country report.
[3] D-EDK, Lehrplan 21, Competence area "Media and Computer Science".