Ian Hogarth, a tech expert, was recently made the leader of a special group by the government. This group will look at how machines that can think (called AI) are changing jobs. Ian told the BBC that many jobs will be done by machines. This means people will have to think about how they work. He said some places will have more jobs because of AI, and some will have less.
The BBC is looking at how AI changes our lives. Some companies are already using AI instead of people, and this has caused some people to lose their jobs. But, some people think new jobs will be created because of AI, just like when the internet was created. A report said that 60% of jobs today did not exist in 1940.
Ian’s job is to help the government understand the risks of AI. He worries that AI could cause problems, like making mistakes in law or causing more computer crimes. But, he also doesn’t want to miss out on the good things AI can do. For example, AI is helping find new medicines and can spot diseases early. Ian once made a tool that could find signs of breast cancer. His group has £100m to help make sure AI is safe.
The Prime Minister wants the UK to be a big player in AI. A company that makes a popular AI chatbot will open its first office outside the US in London. But, the UK needs to overcome some challenges to do well in AI. For example, a company in Northern Ireland that makes an AI tool called Wally says they struggle to get the computer parts they need. They also say it’s hard to get the money and knowledge they need to make their product better.
Original news source: Inevitable’ jobs will be more automated, says new AI adviser (BBC)
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Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– AI Brainstorm
Instructions: Ask students to brainstorm what they know about AI, writing down any words or phrases that come to mind. This can be done individually or in small groups. Once everyone has had a chance to share, review the words as a class, discussing what they mean and how they relate to the article.
– Story Retell
Instructions: After reading the article, ask the students to retell the story in their own words. They can do this verbally or in written form. This activity helps to improve their understanding of the text and develop their speaking and writing skills.
– Role Play
Instructions: Assign each student a character from the article, such as Ian Hogarth, the Prime Minister, or an employee of the AI company. Have them act out a scene where they discuss the challenges and benefits of AI. This helps students practice their speaking skills and understand different perspectives on the topic.
– Sentence Scramble
Instructions: Write key sentences from the article on strips of paper and mix them up. In pairs, students must rearrange the sentences to form a summary of the article. This activity helps students to understand the structure of an article and the sequence of events.
Comprehension Questions:
1. Who is Ian Hogarth and what is his new job?
2. What is the special group started by the government going to look at?
3. What did Ian tell the BBC about how machines will change jobs?
4. What are some good things that AI can do according to the article?
5. What is one thing that Ian once made using AI?
6. How much money does Ian’s group have to make sure AI is safe?
7. What does the Prime Minister want for the UK in terms of AI?
8. What are some challenges the UK needs to overcome to do well in AI according to the article?
Go to answers ⇩
Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Ian Hogarth, a tech expert, was recently made the leader of a special group by the (1)______. This group will look at how machines that can think (called AI) are changing jobs. Ian told the BBC that many jobs will be done by machines. This means people will have to think about how they (2)______. He said some places will have more jobs because of AI, and some will have less.
The BBC is looking at how AI changes our lives. Some companies are already using AI instead of people, and this has caused some people to lose their (3)______. But, some people think new jobs will be created because of AI, just like when the internet was created. A report said that 60% of jobs today did not exist in 1940.
Ian’s job is to help the government understand the risks of AI. He worries that AI could cause problems, like making mistakes in law or causing more computer crimes. But, he also doesn’t want to miss out on the good things AI can do. For example, AI is helping find new (4)______ and can spot diseases early. Ian once made a tool that could find signs of breast cancer. His group has £100m to help make sure AI is (5)______.
The Prime Minister wants the UK to be a big player in AI. A company that makes a popular AI chatbot will open its first office outside the US in (6)______. But, the UK needs to overcome some challenges to do well in AI. For example, a company in Northern Ireland that makes an AI tool called Wally says they struggle to get the computer parts they need. They also say it’s hard to get the money and knowledge they need to make their product (7)______.
Go to answers ⇩
Discussion Questions:
Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.
1. What is AI?
2. Who is Ian Hogarth?
3. What job did the government give Ian?
4. What will AI do to some jobs?
5. How does AI change our lives?
6. Why did some people lose their jobs because of AI?
7. Can AI create new jobs? How?
8. What problems can AI cause?
9. Can AI help us? How?
10. What did Ian’s tool do?
11. Why does the Prime Minister want the UK to be big in AI?
12. Why is it hard for the Northern Ireland company to make their AI tool?
13. What does AI do in a hospital?
14. Can AI help find new medicines?
15. Why is AI important for the future?
Individual Activities
Vocabulary Meanings:
Match each word to its meaning.
Words:
1. government
2. jobs
3. machines
4. risks
5. diseases
6. medicines
7. challenges
8. knowledge
Shuffled Meanings:
A) Things that are hard to do or problems you need to solve
B) The people who make the rules for a country
C) Work that people do to earn money
D) Things that can make you sick
E) Things you know or understand
F) Things that could go wrong or cause problems
G) Things that are made by people and can do work
H) Things you take to help you get better when you are sick
Go to answers ⇩
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. Who is Ian Hogarth?
(a) A teacher
(b) A tech expert
(c) A doctor
(d) A farmer
2. What is the special group led by Ian Hogarth going to study?
(a) How to make better computers
(b) How to grow plants faster
(c) How to build taller buildings
(d) How AI is changing jobs
3. What does AI stand for?
(a) Amazing Inventions
(b) Apple Inc.
(c) Artificial Intelligence
(d) Animal Instincts
4. What did a report say about jobs today compared to 1940?
(a) 60% of jobs today did not exist in 1940
(b) All jobs today existed in 1940
(c) No jobs today existed in 1940
(d) 40% of jobs today did not exist in 1940
5. What is one of the good things AI can do?
(a) AI can cook delicious meals
(b) AI can help find new medicines
(c) AI can fly a plane
(d) AI can write a book
6. How much money does Ian’s group have to make sure AI is safe?
(a) £10m
(b) £1m
(c) £100m
(d) £1b
7. What does the Prime Minister want for the UK regarding AI?
(a) He wants the UK to stop using AI
(b) He wants the UK to be a big player in AI
(c) He wants the UK to ban AI
(d) He wants the UK to only use AI for medicine
8. What is one challenge a company in Northern Ireland faces in making an AI tool?
(a) They struggle to get the computer parts they need
(b) They have too many computer parts
(c) They need more people to use their tool
(d) They need a bigger office
Go to answers ⇩
True or False Questions:
1. Ian Hogarth is a doctor.
2. The government made Ian the leader of a special group.
3. The special group will look at how AI is changing jobs.
4. The BBC is looking at how AI is making people’s lives worse.
5. Some companies are using AI instead of people.
6. All jobs today existed in 1940.
7. Ian’s group has £100m to make sure AI is safe.
8. A company that makes a popular AI chatbot will open its first office outside the US in Paris.
Go to answers ⇩
Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
Writing Questions:
Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.
1. Who is the leader of the special group that looks at how machines are changing jobs?
2. What is AI and how is it changing jobs?
3. Can AI create new jobs?
4. What are some problems that AI can cause?
5. What does the UK want to be in AI?
Answers
Comprehension Question Answers:
1. Who is Ian Hogarth and what is his new job?
Ian Hogarth is a tech expert. His new job is to be the leader of a special group that looks at how machines that can think are changing jobs.
2. What is the special group started by the government going to look at?
The special group is going to look at how machines that can think (called AI) are changing jobs.
3. What did Ian tell the BBC about how machines will change jobs?
Ian told the BBC that many jobs will be done by machines. This means people will have to think about how they work.
4. What are some good things that AI can do according to the article?
AI can help find new medicines and spot diseases early. It can also do jobs that people used to do.
5. What is one thing that Ian once made using AI?
Ian once made a tool that could find signs of breast cancer.
6. How much money does Ian’s group have to make sure AI is safe?
Ian’s group has £100m to make sure AI is safe.
7. What does the Prime Minister want for the UK in terms of AI?
The Prime Minister wants the UK to be a big player in AI.
8. What are some challenges the UK needs to overcome to do well in AI according to the article?
The UK needs to get the computer parts they need, get the money and knowledge they need to make their product better.
Go back to questions ⇧
Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:
1. government
2. work
3. jobs
4. medicines
5. safe
6. London
7. better
Go back to questions ⇧
Vocabulary Meanings Answers:
1. government
Answer: B) The people who make the rules for a country
2. jobs
Answer: C) Work that people do to earn money
3. machines
Answer: G) Things that are made by people and can do work
4. risks
Answer: F) Things that could go wrong or cause problems
5. diseases
Answer: D) Things that can make you sick
6. medicines
Answer: H) Things you take to help you get better when you are sick
7. challenges
Answer: A) Things that are hard to do or problems you need to solve
8. knowledge
Answer: E) Things you know or understand
Go back to questions ⇧
Multiple Choice Answers:
1. Who is Ian Hogarth?
Answer: (b) A tech expert
2. What is the special group led by Ian Hogarth going to study?
Answer: (d) How AI is changing jobs
3. What does AI stand for?
Answer: (c) Artificial Intelligence
4. What did a report say about jobs today compared to 1940?
Answer: (a) 60% of jobs today did not exist in 1940
5. What is one of the good things AI can do?
Answer: (b) AI can help find new medicines
6. How much money does Ian’s group have to make sure AI is safe?
Answer: (c) £100m
7. What does the Prime Minister want for the UK regarding AI?
Answer: (b) He wants the UK to be a big player in AI
8. What is one challenge a company in Northern Ireland faces in making an AI tool?
Answer: (a) They struggle to get the computer parts they need
Go back to questions ⇧
True or False Answers:
1. Ian Hogarth is a doctor.
Answer: False
2. The government made Ian the leader of a special group.
Answer: True
3. The special group will look at how AI is changing jobs.
Answer: True
4. The BBC is looking at how AI is making people’s lives worse.
Answer: False
5. Some companies are using AI instead of people.
Answer: True
6. All jobs today existed in 1940.
Answer: False
7. Ian’s group has £100m to make sure AI is safe.
Answer: False
8. A company that makes a popular AI chatbot will open its first office outside the US in Paris.
Answer: False
Go back to questions ⇧
