AC - Artificial Competence - Decision-making skills in the age of AI: analysing, teaching and learning

The school environment is an ideal research setting for investigating the possibilities and limitations of artificial intelligence (AI) in decision-making processes: AI arrived in everyday school life virtually overnight and took both teachers and students by surprise. There was neither the necessary time nor experience to sufficiently clarify the background, functionality or usage issues of AI. In addition, students often have a more creative understanding of the possible uses of the new technology than their teachers, which can lead to AI often being used as a tool without adequate critical reflection. Students are now increasingly using programs such as ChatGPT for both school tasks and private decision-making situations, but often ignore fundamental questions such as "Where does the information come from?", "Is it trustworthy?", "How could I check its accuracy?" and "What are the limits of AI?". In many cases, this involves direct or indirect decision-making processes (from "What is healthier - pizza or kebab?" to "What should be in the first chapter of my pre-scientific paper on body shaming in physical education?" and "What and where should I study?"). Subjective impressions from everyday school life show that the use of AI is not limited to the collection of information - just one of many steps in the decision-making process - but is also used by students for further steps in the decision-making process. However, a successful decision-making process requires more than just collecting and evaluating information - it is a living, creative cycle that is based on ethical principles, must take into account the emotional world of the respective decision-makers and therefore requires creativity, judgment and responsibility. In the Artificial Competence project, a cooperative project between the Medical University of Graz (MUG), Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) and the Graz International Bilingual School (GIBS), the topic is examined from different angles: Once from a cognitive-psychological perspective and once from a technological context. This is intended to create new synergies that will subsequently also promote understanding of AI-based learning tools and sharpen understanding of the decision-making process in general. Together we ask ourselves the question: How can AI be meaningfully integrated into the decision-making processes of students? On the one hand, the question of the actual use and preferred AI applications of Styrian young people aged 15-18 is to be determined. On the other hand, the project aims to record the psychological factors underlying the decision-making processes (with and without AI). This will be investigated in more detail through surveys of students and relevant stakeholders on the one hand, and through an experimental study at school on the other. The result of Artificial Competence will be a recommendation for action based on the scientific results for use in education.