The future of our children is inextricably linked with AI. Imagine if the forefront of Japanese education suddenly and collectively pivoted toward integrating AI. This isn't just a news story; it's a seismic shift that directly affects your and your child's future. The fact that Tokyo has taken the lead nationwide by introducing its generative AI service, "Toritsu-AI," to all metropolitan schools clearly signals that our education system is entering a new phase.

Why is AI Education Starting in Schools Now?

For a long time, AI might have been seen as something "special," used only by experts or cutting-edge companies. However, the emergence of generative AI like ChatGPT has completely changed this perception. Today, AI is becoming deeply embedded in our daily lives—from writing essays and creating documents to generating images and suggesting daily meal plans. This dramatic change is comparable to the arrival of smartphones or social media.

AI Literacy: A Necessary Skill for the Future

The Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education was quick to recognize this shift, judging that "fostering the skills needed for the AI era is an urgent priority." As a system integrator, I experience these evolving IT trends firsthand every day. The day when AI becomes a social utility is not far off. By the time our children enter the workforce, AI will be as common as pencils or smartphones. Providing them with the fundamental skills to master these "everyday tools" through a structured school curriculum is what's needed right now.

What is "Toritsu-AI"? Features and Practical Examples

"Toritsu-AI," a service developed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in collaboration with Konica Minolta Japan, is not just another AI chatbot. It's a generative AI service optimized for safe and secure use by approximately 160,000 students and teachers in all metropolitan schools.

Ensuring a Safe and Secure Learning Environment

Toritsu-AI is built on Microsoft Azure OpenAI. This ensures that student inputs are not used for AI training, and inappropriate interactions are filtered. Security and governance are strictly enforced. From my professional perspective, ensuring this level of safety and security in such a large-scale system, especially within the sensitive environment of education, is a significant challenge. The Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education has stated that "providing a safe and secure environment for children was essential," which I see as a strong commitment to protecting students from the negative aspects of AI, such as misinformation and misuse.

Expanding Possibilities with "GPT-4o mini" and Beyond

Toritsu-AI supports performance equivalent to the latest generative AI model, "GPT-4o mini," enabling high-speed, low-cost responses. It can also utilize Tokyo-specific data and comes with a wealth of templates directly relevant to school life. For example, some schools are already implementing the following learning activities:

• Japanese Language: Classes where students write haikus and jokes to understand the strengths and weaknesses of AI. They might also have Toritsu-AI write a modern-day The Pillow Book to compare with the original and analyze Sei Shonagon's ideas and style, then write their own version to analyze their own expressive characteristics.
• Social Studies: Students might ask Toritsu-AI hypothetical questions like, "What would have happened in World War I if the Russian Revolution hadn't occurred?" They would then discuss the AI's response in groups to analyze historical events from multiple perspectives.
• Science: Students can have Toritsu-AI evaluate a diagram of a DNA structure they created, leading to a deeper understanding of the subject.
• Foreign Languages: Students can get instant feedback and corrections on their English sentences from Toritsu-AI.
• Other: Toritsu-AI can be used to draft a script for a school promotional video.

These examples show that AI is not just a "tool for getting answers," but a "partner" that can deepen children's critical thinking and stimulate their creativity. Students can use Toritsu-AI to ask questions when they get stuck and delve deeper into a topic until they are satisfied. This helps achieve the kind of individualized learning that was difficult with traditional teaching methods. From an SIer perspective, I am impressed by the diverse range of applications and have high hopes for its scalability.

The AI-Native Generation and Our Role as Parents

Today's middle and elementary school students are becoming the "AI-native" generation. For them, AI is as natural a presence as the encyclopedias or dictionaries we used to have. However, most of us adults, especially those over 30, never had the opportunity to learn about AI systematically in school. This "AI literacy gap" could significantly impact future job opportunities and information processing skills.

How Do We Address Hallucinations and Unconscious Bias?

As a parent of a middle schooler and a fifth grader, I'm very concerned about the risks of hallucinations and the unconscious biases that AI might instill.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education has stated a clear policy to ensure students don't blindly trust the uncertain results that can arise from hallucinations. They are prioritizing an educational approach that assumes the possibility of these phenomena.

• Students are taught that AI responses may contain hallucinations and that fact-checking is essential.
• The curriculum emphasizes critical evaluation and the habit of questioning, "Is that really true?"
• Students learn to verify the validity and reliability of information generated with AI by cross-referencing multiple sources.
• Teachers model desired behaviors such as transparency, integrity, respect, and constructive discussion to help students develop a sound relationship with diverse information sources, including AI.
• The "Toritsu-AI" system is designed to use Tokyo-managed data, such as textbooks, to prevent the AI from introducing inaccurate information from the broader internet.

This educational approach aims to teach students to use AI as a tool to expand their thinking rather than replace it. For example, students using Toritsu-AI to write a new Pillow Book or analyze historical events from multiple angles learn to think critically and express themselves uniquely. This focus on cultivating "the power to think for oneself" is a core tenet of the new AI education.

A Compass for the Future, Hand-in-Hand with Our Children

Tokyo's initiative gives us parents an opportunity to seriously think about preparing our children for the future. AI won't take away our children's ability to think; if used correctly, it can be a tool that unlocks their potential.

What We Can Do at Home: Dialogue and Practice

So, what can we as parents do?

• Experience AI together: Use free services like ChatGPT with your child and discuss what AI can and cannot do.
• Teach them to "collaborate with AI": Instead of letting AI do everything, it's crucial to teach them to use AI to enhance their own abilities. Help them see AI as a "thinking support wheel."
• Foster critical thinking: Consciously teach them to question AI's answers and verify information from multiple perspectives. The habit of asking "why?" is a fundamental skill for navigating the future.
• Encourage creative activities: No matter how advanced AI becomes, it cannot replace human creativity, empathy, and compassion. Prioritize hands-on learning and play through reading, art, and sports.

The pace of AI evolution will far exceed our imagination. However, the most important thing is not to be afraid of change, but to never stop "thinking together" with our children. Tokyo's "Toritsu-AI" is a significant step in this direction. For us adults to understand AI, acknowledge its potential and challenges, and build the future together with our children—that is the only path to living a richer, more human life in an AI-driven world.

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