AI image generation
Also used: Generative image AI
AI image generation creates a new image from a text description, reference image, or combination of instructions.
Why it matters to educators
Educators can use generated visuals to make concepts more accessible or create teaching materials, but they also need to consider accuracy, representation, copyright, accessibility, and whether an image could mislead viewers.
The foundation
An image model predicts visual patterns from its training and the prompt. It can create a plausible-looking picture without knowing whether it accurately represents a place, person, culture, scientific process, or historical event.
Use generated images as designed illustrations, not unmarked evidence. Review details carefully, write meaningful alt text, and avoid presenting synthetic images of real students or sensitive events as authentic photographs.
What this can look like in education
Create a concept illustration
A science teacher drafts a labeled visual of a fictional ecosystem, then checks the relationships and labels against reliable curriculum sources.
Support accessibility
A teacher creates a simple, high-contrast visual cue for a classroom routine and writes alt text that explains its instructional purpose.