Student Sika Abuku testifies on AI exposure and data collection in schools

Good afternoon, council members.

My name is Sika Abuku.

I'm a high school student and member of the NYCLU Teen Activist Project.

With the new adoption of AI within schools, many things have changed, not just in New York City, but within our state, country, and world.

I go to Edward R.

Murrow High School, located in Brooklyn, and for me, it impacts my friends, classmates, and even teachers.

When AI is used by teachers for grading students'work or checking if students use AI, it impacts students'privacy, confidentiality, and education.

There are multiple AI companies, including ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, etc., where students are being exposed and exploited for private data collection.

This threat becomes bigger when it's integrated within our education.

From being a part of our online classroom to being attached to our internet searches, even teachers use AI within lesson planning and can present multiple mistakes.

I have witnessed this personally in school.

I've seen in my geometry class, for example, many instances in which AI was used to create diagrams and lesson plans and have given the wrong answer.

This puts schools, teachers, and students'education at risk.

Yes, it is true that schools like mine have put in measures to limit AI use, such as web filters to ban AI in schools, but usage is still persistent.

And I still...

have access to Gemini even in class.

Schools have also limited the internet access with the statewide ban across New York State, and it has changed the way students are able to access information.

Now, when we get to the access in internet, with Chromebooks and computers and Google Classroom, we are still exposed.

Our data goes to these companies and is being used to track behavior, interest, and train more AI models.

This is a growing problem for students and deserves more care and consideration in terms of the impact within internet access, privacy, and the future education of New York City students.

Thank you.

Perfectly timed.

That was amazing.

A plus.

You must have practiced.