Have you ever had a teacher that was just, well, kind of
boring? Maybe even a little, robotic? We've all been there. Let's face it, it's
hard to learn when you're being put to sleep. But what if we found a completely
new way of learning? Could a robot be a better teacher than a human? How might
education can change with AI? What are the pros and cons?
Here’s what would happen if your teacher was an AI.
Schools all over the world are experimenting with new ways of teaching using technology. As our population reaches critical mass, we may not have enough teachers for every child on the planet. Could robot teachers be a solution? Or could it turn into a scary crisis for our species? Whether you're for it or against it, scientists believe artificial intelligence in the classroom is not far off. That is, of course, if classrooms still exist. So what would happen if we replaced all our teachers with AI? They may look like us, or they could be entirely virtual, like an avatar on the screen.
Regardless of what it looks like or sounds like, AI in
education will simplify administrative tasks that eat up a lot of time. Grading
exams will be automated, learning interfaces will become smarter with
interactive textbooks, and people with learning disabilities or different
learning styles will be better accommodated. Everything will be standardized and
customized to help students learn more effectively. Students could even choose
to focus on more specialized subjects based on their interests, which could
help them discover their passions, or quirky, nerdy obsessions, earlier in life.
According to a 2016 UNESCO report, an additional 20.1
million teachers are needed to meet the goals for equal access to education by
2030. Many schools are already looking into advanced systems to help close this
gap. For instance, automated services like “Bakpax” use algorithms to read
children's handwriting and to grade tests and assignments. In China, AI is used
to create personalized tutoring lessons, surveillance and even brain wave
trackers to keep an eye on classroom progress. Futurists believe education is
moving towards highly individualized curricula, allowing students to learn at
their own pace without having to hold back others.
With the proliferation of the internet on a global scale, the
limitations of education are becoming a thing of the past. Teachers are
experimenting with virtual classrooms, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. Alongside
this personalized data availability, university and college admissions might
become automated as well. Even job recruiters could potentially use this data, which
may tailor candidates to available positions. Also, greater access to education
worldwide would mean much higher competition for jobs. And with a more educated
population, technological developments will rapidly advance. But this new way
of learning could come at a price.
So, what exactly are the risks?
If all our teachers were replaced by AI, we would have to be
extra careful about security. Just as the media is plagued with fake news, we
would be at risk of having our education systems hacked to spread false
information or propaganda. Whoever rules AI holds the power to manipulate the
entire world. This new way of learning might also affect children's health, with
too much screen time being a known cause of obesity, sleep disorders, and a
lack of interpersonal development. So, maybe try not to binge-watch too many Netflix
videos. We would also need widespread internet, Wi-Fi networks, and electricity
to power all these devices, which could come at a great cost to our planet. And,
if artificial intelligence becomes so advanced that it gains self-awareness, or
sentience, our species might run into some problems.
Currently, our AI is in the category of It can perform tasks
using human-like capabilities, but it can only do what it is programmed to do. With
limited memory systems, it can learn and improve on basic tasks, but we're far
off from a truly independent artificial consciousness. Let’s just be extra
careful though and try not to kick them around too much. I'd prefer to stay on
their good side.
We still cannot authentically program empathy, which is an
important component human teachers have. For many kids, teachers act as
guidance counselors, role models, coaches, and even surrogate parents. And we
need teachers now more than ever. As of 2016, UNESCO has reported that 263
million children and youth are out of school and more than 70% of them live in
impoverished areas of Southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Many teachers in
these areas are with little to no access to educational resources. Having
consistent, easily accessible AI-enhanced education online could change these
numbers drastically. Perhaps, our next phase of human evolution is dependent on
a global AI school system.
But if all our teachers can be replaced with artificial
intelligence, could other jobs suffer the same fate? Do share your thoughts in
the comments below.
1 Comments
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