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The company providing an artificial intelligence teaching tool to Brooklyn high schools boasted “testimonials” from phantom NYC teachers on its website, The Post has learned.
Jason Green, the co-CEO and co-founder of Learning Innovation Catalyst, or LINC, happens to be a pal of schools chancellor David Banks.
Green visited Martha’s Vineyard last summer with Banks; Banks’ partner, first deputy mayor Sheena Wright; and several kids on vacation, according to a Department of Education insider and photos viewed by The Post.
LINC has collected $4.3 million in city funds since 2018 for “professional development and curriculum,” including $2.3 million this school year, according to city records.
Its AI tool Yourwai, which generates lesson plans for teachers, is now being tested in Brooklyn schools.
Four names attached to Yourwai’s testimonials did not appear in city payroll records: “Emily Johnson,” “Tyler Anderson,” “Cameron Williamson” and “Ralph Edwards.”
Four other fake names — “Kevin Anderson,” “Christopher Miller,” “Michael Davis” and “Jessica Rodriguez” — were too common to determine their authenticity.
The Miller quote had an odd glitch, referencing a Puerto Rican private school halfway through: “Teachers love it! – The Palmas Academy elementary school coordinator – this tool was used by 40 teachers over 300 times in less than a week.”
“I love YOURWAI!!,” gushed “NYC Administrator Cameron Williams.”
“Yourwai is very education specific and I love the tools built in ready to use,” the website quoted “NYC administrator Tyler Anderson.”
“This was the highlight of my year,” raved “NYC Administrator Ralph Edwards.”
After an inquiry by The Post, Yourwai immediately scrubbed the names and references to NYC from the quotes.
“The testimonials on our website were anonymized for compliance purposes,” it said in a statement. “We have removed these aliases from our website to clear up confusion.”
The company claimed the quotes came from actual teachers and administrators, but said it could not identify who made them–or even confirm they worked for NYC public schools.
“We cannot share the real name of the user who shared specific testimonials, because the name of the user was not stored in our database,” the company said. “We cannot even confirm the organization of the user who shared testimonials.”
The city Conflicts of Interest Board forbids city employees to let vendors use their NYC titles in promotional material without written permission by their agencies.
Asked whether the DOE granted permission to quote school employees, the company did not answer.
The DOE did not respond to an inquiry.
Janice Ross, superintendent of Brooklyn North high schools, hailed Yourwai as an educational boon at a March 13 parent council meeting.
“Teachers spend hours creating lesson plans. They should not be doing that any more,” she said.
Ross and Green also enjoy a close relationship, according to LinkedIn posts touting their seven-year working ties.
Both Ross and Green boasted about Yourwai’s “launch” in posts this month.
LINC was first introduced in Brooklyn North high schools in 2017, Green noted.
Yourwai said it is offering the program to NYC schools for free as a pilot through the end of June.
“Our approach helps teachers use artificial intelligence, and technology more broadly, as a support and enhancement of their work, not as a replacement for the work that only human educators are capable of,” the company said in a statement.
“Jason Green is not personal friends with Chancellor Banks,” it added, but did not explain the Martha’s Vineyard visit.
Critics have warned against using AI as a “crutch” and because of ts tendency to display biases and falsehoods. AI programs have been widely criticized for “diverse” content that is factually inaccurate.
The Yourwai software was “integrated” with Black History 365, an ethnic studies curriculum, Green wrote in the LinkedIn posts.
“Bringing BH365 and LINC together is game changing and ensuring teachers have the access to Black History curriculum easily and readily,” Ross added.
Banks this week declared he is “fighting like heck” to restore $170 million in early childhood education budget cuts, among other DOE funding reductions.
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Eugen Boglaru is an AI aficionado covering the fascinating and rapidly advancing field of Artificial Intelligence. From machine learning breakthroughs to ethical considerations, Eugen provides readers with a deep dive into the world of AI, demystifying complex concepts and exploring the transformative impact of intelligent technologies.
