School board: AI in social media post ’caused confusion and harm’

A social media post put out this week by the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) is causing some confusion among the local Indigenous community.

The promotional post was created using Artificial Intelligence (AI) but was edited by humans. It focused on a new course that’s part of the Grade 11 English curriculum titled: Understanding Contemporary First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Voices.

Bangishimo, the co-director for Willow River Centre, found it “ironic” that they used AI to write a post about understanding Indigenous people.

“A place such as the Waterloo Region District School Board should have people dedicated on their social media to writing these posts, especially something as sensitive as working with the Indigenous community,” said Bangishimo in an interview with CityNews.

“How much of the post was actually written by a human and how much of it was actually written by AI, which was our biggest concern.”

They added that the promotional post was harmful and problematic.

“It really gives off this message that they don’t want to put the time and the energy into writing it themselves.”

AI is still new and advancing but tends to portray Indigenous people in stereotypical ways, said Bangishimo.

“AI still has a lot of work to do, and I know a number of Indigenous community members who aren’t comfortable using AI because it’s still problematic in that way where it doesn’t portray us in the light that we need to be portrayed as.”

Bangishimo added that it often uses older elements like headdresses and feathers when generating images referring to Indigenous people.

“Just reading the comments online, a lot of people were hurt or offended by it because it feels like a step back.”

In a statement to CityNews, Eusis Dougan-McKenzie, Executive Officer of WRDSB apologized and acknowledged the post caused “confusion and harm.”

The post was part of a new marketing strategy by the communications team called Mixtape Monday that launched on April 15.

“These social posts are created with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI). This emerging marketing communications tool helps us develop visual and written content in support of the WRDSB Strategic Directions,” the statement reads. “As we explore the potential resource-saving technology, we use existing WRDSB-created material already on the WRDSB website. The AI mixtape helps us create engaging new messages to share these materials with students, families and caregivers.”

Importantly, this includes a transparent approach by explaining how AI was used to inform the creation of the posts, but that they are edited and improved by people.”

WRDSB said the promotional post was not connected to the class.

Bangishimo added that AI tends to write things from a hollow place with little context or substance to it, and it would be beneficial for WRDSB’s current reconciliation efforts to connect with Indigenous community members if needed when writing these types of messages.