The SAGE-AI Framework

The Strategic Approach to Governance and Ethics in AI for Education (SAGE-AI) Framework is an adaptable guide designed to help educational institutions navigate the complex landscape of artificial intelligence integration. As AI technologies rapidly evolve and permeate all aspects of education from classroom instruction to administrative processes, institutions face both unprecedented opportunities and challenges. The SAGE-AI Framework provides a structured approach to harness the potential of AI while mitigating risks and ensuring responsible implementation.

Key features of the SAGE-AI Framework include:

• Thorough Coverage: The framework addresses ten critical pillars of AI governance ranging from strategic alignment and ethical considerations to infrastructure management and legal compliance.
• Flexibility and Scalability: Designed to accommodate institutions of all sizes and types, from K-12 to higher education, the framework can be tailored to fit specific needs and risk tolerances.
• Future-Proofing: With a focus on continuous evaluation and improvement, the framework helps institutions stay ahead of the curve in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.
• Stakeholder-Centric Approach: The framework emphasizes the importance of engaging all stakeholders - students, faculty, staff, and the wider community - in the AI governance process.
• Practical Implementation Guidance: Each pillar includes clear objectives, key considerations, sample policy areas, and implementation guidance to facilitate real-world application.

By adopting the SAGE-AI Framework, educational institutions can:

• Align AI initiatives with their core mission and values
• Ensure ethical and responsible use of AI technologies
• Enhance teaching and learning experiences through strategic AI integration
• Empower students with crucial AI literacy skills for the future workforce
• Mitigate risks associated with AI implementation, including data privacy and security concerns
• Stay compliant with evolving AI-related regulations and standards

As AI continues to transform education, proactive governance is not just beneficial—it's essential. The SAGE-AI Framework offers educational leaders a roadmap to navigate this transformation, turning potential challenges into opportunities for innovation and excellence in education.

Pillar Overview

The SAGE-AI framework provides a flexible structure that can be adapted to different educational levels and risk tolerances. It consists of ten pillars that focus and guide a particular aspect of AI governance. Each pillar in the framework can be developed with specific policies, procedures, and best practices tailored to the institution's needs and goals.

Pillar 1: Strategic Alignment

This pillar ensures AI initiatives align with the institution's overall mission, values, and educational objectives. It focuses on integrating AI strategies with institutional plans, maximizing the value of AI investments, and engaging stakeholders in AI planning.

Pillar 2: Ethical Use and Responsible AI

This pillar develops and enforces ethical guidelines for AI use, addressing fairness, transparency, accountability, and potential biases. It establishes clear ethical guidelines for AI use in academic work and other educational contexts, promoting student and staff wellbeing in AI interactions. Importantly, it includes policies and guidelines for maintaining academic integrity in an AI-enhanced learning environment, addressing the challenges of AI-assisted work and potential cheating.

Pillar 3: Data Governance and Privacy

This pillar covers policies and procedures for data collection, storage, use, and protection in AI systems, ensuring compliance with privacy regulations. It aims to protect student, staff, and institutional data while enabling appropriate data sharing for educational and research purposes. It also emphasizes data minimization and purpose limitation principles to ensure responsible data handling in AI systems.

Pillar 4: Risk Management and Security

This pillar addresses potential risks associated with AI use, including cybersecurity threats, system failures, and unintended consequences. It focuses on developing robust cybersecurity measures, ensuring business continuity, and promoting a culture of security awareness.

Pillar 5: Teaching and Learning Integration

This pillar provides guidance on incorporating AI into curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices. It aims to enhance learning experiences, support personalized learning, and prepare students for an AI-driven future. A key focus is on developing assessment strategies that effectively evaluate student learning in an AI-enabled environment while maintaining academic integrity. This includes creating guidelines for appropriate use of AI in homework, projects, and assessments.

Pillar 6: Student Empowerment and Digital Literacy

This pillar focuses on equipping students with the skills to understand, use, and critically evaluate AI technologies. It aims to develop students' AI literacy, promote responsible use, and prepare them for AI's impact on future careers and society. A crucial component is educating students on the responsible and ethical use of AI in academic work, including clear guidelines on academic integrity and the appropriate use of AI tools in coursework and research.

Pillar 7: Faculty and Staff Development

This pillar covers training and support for educators and staff to effectively use and manage AI systems. It aims to enhance educators' ability to integrate AI tools into their teaching practices and equip administrative staff with skills to leverage AI in their roles. This includes training faculty on how to design assignments and assessments that maintain academic integrity in an AI-enabled environment and how to detect and address potential academic dishonesty involving AI tools.

Pillar 8: Infrastructure and Resource Management

This pillar addresses the technical infrastructure, tools, and resources needed to support AI initiatives. It focuses on developing and maintaining robust technical infrastructure, ensuring scalability, and optimizing resource allocation for AI initiatives. It also considers the long-term sustainability and environmental impact of AI infrastructure.

Pillar 9: Compliance and Legal Considerations

This pillar ensures adherence to relevant laws, regulations, and accreditation standards related to AI use in education. It aims to navigate the complex legal landscape surrounding AI implementation, protecting the institution and its stakeholders while fostering responsible innovation. This includes developing AI-inclusive academic honesty policies and ensuring that the use of AI in education aligns with existing academic integrity standards and regulations.

Pillar 10: Continuous Evaluation and Improvement

This pillar establishes processes for monitoring, assessing, and refining AI governance practices over time. It aims to ensure AI systems and policies remain effective, relevant, and aligned with the institution's goals and values as the AI landscape evolves. It emphasizes the importance of incorporating feedback from diverse stakeholders to continuously improve AI governance practices.

By implementing these ten pillars, educational institutions can create a robust framework for AI governance that addresses the multifaceted challenges and opportunities presented by AI in education. The SAGE-AI Framework provides a starting point for institutions to develop their own tailored approach to AI governance, ensuring that they can harness the benefits of AI while managing associated risks and maintaining alignment with their educational mission and values.