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Children in more than a dozen NSW schools will help test an in-house artificial intelligence app after the state banned the popular ChatGPT over cheating concerns.

The trial AI app, called NSWEduChat, was an important first step for the rollout of the technology in the state’s schools, Education Minister Prue Car said.

“As one of the world’s largest providers of public education, I’m proud that NSW has developed … a safe and secure tool with great potential to enhance learning,” she on Wednesday.

The rollout comes about a year after the department banned the AI-powered ChatGPT in state schools over concerns students were using it to cheat on assignments.

Victoria followed through with a similar policy, but many private schools have embraced the technology as a useful learning tool.

The NSW Department of Education has developed NSWEduChat for use in the state’s public schools.

It can only respond to questions it deems relevant to school work and will not provide a full answer but rather ask students follow-up questions intended to encourage them to think critically about a topic.

The app’s data is also only available to the department and it has been designed to reflect the NSW school curriculum.

The trial will be conducted during the first two school terms of 2024 in 16 schools across the state.

Teachers can decide for themselves how to integrate the app into their lessons and will receive help from AI experts.

Students at the selected schools can access the app through their student portal.

Nyk Carnsew
(Australian Associated Press)