the boss Research Institute of Information Science and Technology of Iran (Irandoc) revealed the results of a new survey about the level of artificial ielligence literacy of Tehrani citizens; The results indicate the existence of a significa gap between “people’s perception of their knowledge” and “their actual knowledge”.
Referring to the implemeation of the study “Measuring the level of artificial ielligence literacy of the citizens of Tehran with an emphasis on generational differences”, Mohammad Hassanzadeh announced that this study was commissioned and supported by Irandak and its detailed report will be published soon. According to him, with the increasing penetration of artificial ielligence-based technologies in fields such as education, industry, medicine, media and eertainme, having artificial ielligence literacy is no longer considered a specialized skill; Rather, it has become a general necessity for citizens.
Two indicators to measure an emerging skill
This research was conducted in 8 districts of Tehran using two separate questionnaires; One to measure “meal literacy” (a person’s perception and evaluation of his knowledge) and the other to measure “objective literacy” (real knowledge based on correct answers to specialized questions). Both measureme tools have been localized and scieifically validated according to the conditions of Iran to provide a more accurate picture of the real situation of the society.
Based on the findings, the average meal literacy of artificial ielligence in the two groups “Generation Z-Alpha” and “Generation Y and before” reached 14.25 out of 20. Generation Z and Alpha recorded an average of 1.8 higher self-perception scores than the previous generations; Simply put, this generation is more likely than others to think they have a higher knowledge of artificial ielligence.
When it comes to real knowledge
But the picture is differe in the “objective literacy” index. When participas’ actual knowledge was measured through knowledge questions, the average score dropped to 5.8 out of 20; A number that shows that there is a noticeable gap between digital self-confidence and real skill. Ierestingly, in this index, the Y generation and before it have performed about 0.5 pois better than the Z and Alpha generations.
Other research findings show that gender does not make a significa difference in meal literacy, but in objective literacy, men have performed slightly better. Also, people who have formal education in the field of computer science and information technology or who have completed informal courses related to artificial ielligence, have obtained a higher score.
The role of chatbots in increasing objective literacy
According to the head of Irandak, the use of chatbots based on artificial ielligence has been one of the factors influencing the improveme of some compones of objective literacy. Users who have experience working with these tools have shown better performance in some indicators; However, Generation Z and Alpha use these tools more than other age groups.
On the other hand, surveys show that the state of artificial ielligence literacy in differe areas of Tehran is not significaly differe from each other; A topic that can indicate a relatively uniform distribution of access to digital tools in the city.
The necessity of targeted educational policy
The results of this survey have a clear message: high self-confidence in using new technologies does not necessarily mean deep knowledge. Hassanzadeh emphasizes that in order to reduce the gap between the meal image and the real knowledge of citizens, it is necessary to develop accurate, coinuous and targeted educational and urban policies in the field of artificial ielligence literacy; An action that requires the coordinated participation of educational, research and cultural institutions.
In a situation where artificial ielligence is redefining personal and professional skills at an unprecedeed speed, it seems that the main challenge is not to access the tools, but to promote a deep and practical understanding of them; A challenge that, if not taken seriously, can deepen the gap between “being a user” and “knowing”.
