4 Ways AI Will Forever Change Education
With the rapid adoption of ChatGPT and other large language models, the question of when AI adoption will reach critical mass has finally been answered. According to OpenAI’s own data, over one-third of college students report that they use ChatGPT regularly. A quarter of their time on the platform is related to learning and schoolwork.
Now that the genie is out of the bottle, leaders in higher education are turning their attention to the second question: How will AI shape the way students consume and retain information?
Most leaders in the field are optimistic about the changes ahead. According to a survey published in EdTech, the overwhelming majority of leaders in educational technology—97%—see AI as positively shaping the future of how people learn. But since AI systems will forever change education in ways we can’t completely anticipate, educational leaders need to be prepared to respond to the AI revolution—the good, the bad, and the complicated. To this end, it’s important to keep up to date with the very rapid shifts in this technology to determine how AI might change the future of education.
1. AI Will Normalize Personalized Learning
AI will give instructors the ability to deliver personalized, responsive learning experiences. These learning experiences are zeroed in on a student’s goals, strengths, knowledge foundation, and learning style. AI's influence will not just augment the classroom experience but will fundamentally reshape how knowledge is delivered, accessed, and applied, marking a new era in academia.
An AI system in education can analyze homework scores, test results, and even in-class participation and adjust a lesson plan accordingly. The technology can then provide an ongoing information stream of data-driven insights into the student’s progress.
A systematic review published in Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence analyzed 353 research papers on this topic that were published in English between 2019 and 2021 and spanned studies performed in the U.S., India, and China. The review concluded, “AI augments educational content, customizes it for any individual according to their needs, and raises the flag of caution for anticipated learning difficulties.” These authors believe this personalized delivery of material will change the role of teachers forever, writing, “This recalibrates the role of instructors as well as optimizes the teaching-learning environment for a better learning experience.
There’s Labster, which creates immersive AI science labs for college students. According to Labster’s case study in Dundalk, Ireland, 95% of students who participate in the types of hands-on virtual labs they offer said they had an enhanced level of confidence with experimental science. The platform adapts its content based on how the students interact with the software throughout the simulated lab, which could be why some Labster students say they have higher STEM grades and feel more engaged thanks to this approach.
Tailored, inclusive learning environments will be what students will expect in the coming years. But these innovations come with tradeoffs. Concerns over data privacy issues, accessibility of new technologies, and affordability will need to be addressed before personalized learning can become the standard.
2. AI Will Reduce the Administrative Load on Teachers
Teachers enter education to empower and educate the next generation—not to push paperwork. But documentation has become a much bigger part of the teacher’s role over the last several decades. Administrative stress is one of the main causes of teacher stress and burnout. Perhaps unsurprisingly, job-related stress negatively impacts teaching performance and student engagement.
AI in education is already streamlining the administrative process to make these requirements much less time-consuming. AI can schedule communications with parents, send out email reminders, manage data entry, and keep detailed records of student progress. At Georgia Tech, the Online Master’s in Computer Science program has incorporated a fully AI-driven grading and assessment model called Jill Watson— basically, the AI performs the role of a teacher’s assistant. As of right now, the program claims to have “jointly increased learner performance and teacher efficacy,” though the tool is still being tweaked as it is being scaled to reach more students.
This means that educators will be more free to focus on students’ needs, incorporating insights from customized learning plans and dreaming up more creative ways for learners to consume and retain information. Increased AI efficiency could lead to a more stabilized teaching workforce, decreased job turnover, and increased job satisfaction from those in the field.
3. AI Will Make Education More Equitable
The UN has issued a global alert on the shortage of teachers around the world, calling for 44 million teachers to fill the gap by 2030. But even if the teacher shortage continues, learning outcomes in developing countries may still see significant leaps forward thanks to the accelerated development of AI tools.
In China, a tutoring company called SquirrelAi has already deployed tools to help more than 24 million students. SquirrelAi’s platforms have been trained on insights and learning behaviors from these students, which in turn makes the technology even better for the next round of learners who encounter it. Outside of China’s big cities, rural districts have had difficulty attracting and retaining high-quality teachers. But with the availability of SquirrelAi, at least one rural town has had success narrowing this learning gap.
SquirrelAi is unique for several reasons— the company has access to huge datasets nearly from the outset, which has enabled their tools to learn and improve quickly. But the platform is also informed by what they call “master teachers,” experienced educators who provide insight from their years of experience with students in the field. As AI tools get faster, smarter, and less expensive, leaders in global education are hopeful that they can be deployed to assist students in areas where education has been traditionally difficult to access.
4. AI Will Require Teachers to Navigate Ethical Concerns
The possibilities of AI in education are exciting but also loaded with ethical baggage. Artificial intelligence makes it easier than ever to learn new information, but it also makes it easy for students to mimic learning and, in the worst cases, to plagiarize.
AI checker tools currently estimate that 3% of writing assignments are at least 80% AI-generated. Of course, students who are motivated to cheat have always found a way to do so. The question now is how teachers and administrators will respond to students who rely on AI as a shortcut to avoid doing their work.
These issues are part of the reason that nothing will ever replace a dedicated, student-invested, detail-oriented teacher. Leaders in the educational space will determine how students should use artificial intelligence tools and instances where these tools need to be regulated. Some schools have decided that punishments for relying on ChatGPT and other large language models will be swift, stern and unforgiving.
However, some experts caution that punishing students for using AI ignores the reality that they will be encouraged, and maybe even expected, to use these tools once they enter the workforce. It’s a conversation that requires digital literacy, curiosity, and compassion—not to mention a deep knowledge of ethics in education.
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