AI poised to upend education, edge out teachers
ChatGPT is just the beginning. We expect to see even more advanced AI technologies developed and deployed in education in the coming years.
As we look towards our children’s future, it’s clear that artificial intelligence, or AI, will play an increasingly important role in our lives.
One area where this is especially true is in education, where AI technologies like ChatGPT have the potential to revolutionise the way we teach and learn. ChatGPT, a large language model trained by OpenAI, is just one example of how AI is already used in education.
As a chatbot, it can interact with students in natural language, answering their questions and providing personalised feedback. This means that students can get the help they need when they need it without waiting for a teacher to become available—yes, downplaying the need for a teacher.
But ChatGPT is just the beginning. We expect to see even more advanced AI technologies developed and deployed in education in the coming years.
For example, AI can help personalise learning experiences to better fit each student’s needs, interests and abilities. By analysing student data and using machine learning algorithms, AI can suggest personalised learning paths, recommend learning resources and provide immediate feedback—and cut down the number of years a student spends in school if they are fast learners.
Technologies like these will render the current education system in Kenya and other similar countries impotent, where all students, regardless of their abilities and performance, stay in the same class, wasting their valuable time and possibly eroding their faith in education.
Of course, there are also concerns about the impact of AI on education. Some worry that AI technologies could replace human teachers altogether, leaving students with more critical thinking and social skills essential for success in the real world.
Reinforce inequalities
Others worry about the potential for AI to perpetuate biases and reinforce inequalities, especially if the algorithms behind these technologies need to be carefully designed and monitored.
Such imbalances often favour kids from more affluent backgrounds, those who speak a particular language, or those who perform better in some subjects.
But the overarching point is that, if leveraged well, AI can significantly enhance students' abilities to think critically and expand their soft skills. And sceptics who are worried that kids will stop learning basic skills, avoid practising and forget general facts if they can rely on an AI tool to answer for them should learn from Wikipedia.
When Wikipedia arrived on the internet, we did not stop learning facts just because we could now quickly look them up online. Instead, we gained an additional resource to help us fact-check and facilitate learning.
Adopting AI in education requires significant investment in infrastructure, teacher training and content development. There are also genuine concerns that AI could herald unethical practices.
It is, therefore, essential to approach its adoption with caution and ensure that its benefits are accessible to all students.
Mr Wambugu is an accredited expert in cloud and cyber security. [email protected], @Samwambugu2
