The obligation to be AI literate is an underexposed part of the AI Act. Every organization must be this way by February 2025. How can you organize this well?
What is AI Literacy?
AI literacy is about skills, knowledge and understanding of AI systems. Anyone who works with AI must be able to use it in an informed manner. Also there must be awareness about the possibilities, as well as the risks and possible damage when using AI.
This concerns both general knowledge about artificial intelligence and what it is, but also about the (correct) use of the tools and applications.
Who needs to be literate?
Providers and users of AI systems must ensure that their staff and other persons using AI systems on their behalf are AI literate, according to the AI Act.
That means everyone in your organization who does something with AI. Including the self-employed people you employ.
Each person must be AI literate at their own level. That depends on the tools used and how they are used. How risky is AI deployment? What information do people work with?
Those who only use ChatGPT as an idea generator may be at a lower level of literacy than those who use AI for a retargeting campaign. The receptionist who uses an embedded AI tool to compose an email does not need to be as AI literate as the security guard who wants to use AI to recognize people and allow or deny access to the building.
You have to take measures
You must take measures to ensure that all those people acquire sufficient knowledge at their own level. The AI Act does not prescribe what these measures are. So you can decide that yourself.
Of course, a measure must be useful. Most people will not read a document containing information alone.
What could you do then?
- A test to determine the level
- Offering a general course on AI, at different levels
- Offer specific courses focused on specific tools and applications
Please note that the hired self-employed persons/freelancers must also be sufficiently AI literate. Fully in-house training provides an additional benefit DBA Risk Act. It’s not impossible, but you may want to avoid it. For example, ask about courses they have taken or certificates they have received. Or make sure you find out in a conversation whether someone has the relevant knowledge.
Include AI literacy in your AI policy
In your AI policy you probably already include which tools and applications may be used by whom and how.
You can also include how people within your organization can ensure that they are and remain sufficiently AI literate. Which courses they need to take to be able to use new tools and applications. Or what the procedure is when something changes in the organization or in the tools. This way you ensure that everyone is sufficiently informed and therefore remains sufficiently AI literate.
Source: www.frankwatching.com
