Picture a future in which essays practically write themselves, complex math equations can be resolved with the click of a button, and personalized educational programs take advantage of your individual skills. Artificial Intelligence (AI) proposes this kind of future. But as a student, I can’t help but wonder: should we be afraid of this future or welcome it?
The educational sector has been affected by the recent craze around AI services such as ChatGPT and Bard AI (Kumar et al., 2023). Schools have debated whether these technologies serve as a shortcut to learning or a route to greater knowledge. I think the answer is somewhere in the middle.
Some educators worry that AI may hinder creativity and critical thinking. When solutions are easily obtained, there is less incentive to investigate the ‘why’ and ‘how’. Consider articles about history produced by AI. Although they might be historically correct, will they really convey the spirit of the past?
That said, AI has the potential to be a powerful learning companion. It can detect knowledge gaps, customize practice problems to meet a student’s needs, and personalize instructions. Having trouble with math? An AI instructor can give immediate feedback and break down difficult topics into easy sections.
I think striking the appropriate balance is the key. Teachers should not be replaced by AI; rather, AI should strengthen their position. While AI takes care of the labor-intensive, repetitive activities, teachers may take on the role of facilitators, helping students grow toward independent learning and critical analysis.
Beyond academia, the field of content production is also impacted by AI. If we consider it from the viewpoint of a YouTuber, for instance, I see both potential and barriers. AI could free up time for creativity by automating processes like content suggestions and video editing. AI is capable of producing hundreds of captivating thumbnails or memorable titles in a matter of seconds. But storytelling and the creation of a personal connection with an audience are at the core of content creation. The spark of real emotion and the distinct viewpoint that a creator provides are qualities that AI cannot imitate. Viewers value authenticity, which I believe AI will struggle to provide.
So, how should we approach this bright new world of AI? Well first, we can focus on human skills. While AI is great at automation, it lacks the human touch. As humans we should continue developing our critical thinking, communication, and teamwork skills. All of these are areas in which AI lags significantly behind.
While AI is capable of pattern recognition and data analysis, it struggles in the “why” that drives things. Strong critical thinking abilities enable people to analyze information, question assumptions, and formulate well-reasoned arguments of our own. This will be essential in a world saturated with AI-generated material.
Another skill that humans have is the ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing. This will continue to be essential for success. AI may be able to translate across languages and write simple reports, but it will never be able to fully capture the complexity and intensity of human thought and emotion. Therefore, strengthening our communication skills will ensure that we are able to absorb difficult concepts and effectively communicate it to others.
Finally, while AI excels at processing information on its own, human collaboration is a human strength. In any sector, having the ability to successfully collaborate, generate ideas, and work towards a shared objective will be extremely useful. Human cooperation will be ever more essential for solving complicated problems as AI automates work.
It’s crucial to keep in mind that artificial intelligence (AI) exists to support humans, not to replace us (Korteling et al., 2021). AI may be an effective language guide, brainstorming buddy, or research helper. The secret is to cautiously utilize it to improve our cognitive and creative processes.
AI instructors, for instance, may customize lessons to each student’s strengths and shortcomings (Peng & Wan, 2024). Consider study materials that spotlight your areas of weakness or practice questions that adjust to your skill level. This tailored approach can dramatically improve many students’ learning experiences.
AI can improve the efficiency of content creation processes. For content creators, this may include AI creating captions or summarizing feedback from viewers in reports. This gives creators more time to concentrate on what really matters: interacting with their audience and delivering engaging material.
Having said all of that, we must remember that artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms are educated on datasets, which may contain biases from people. It’s crucial to assess AI-generated content critically and to be aware of these potential biases. An AI-powered search engine, for example, may favor some results over others depending on user history, which might limit exposure to other points of view. As a result, I believe that going forward, developing the ability to detect AI-generated material will be vital for assessing the trustworthiness and authenticity of information (Kumar et al., 2023).
In conclusion, it’s fairly obvious that artificial intelligence (AI) is here to stay. The only question now is how we will incorporate AI into our daily lives. As AI becomes more widely used and improves, it is critical to understand its strengths and limitations. The ability to assess artificial intelligence (AI)-generated information and differentiate reality from fiction should be one of our key priorities. Without it, we could find ourselves in serious trouble, especially with deepfakes and manipulated or fake news. Overall, I believe that by approaching AI with a critical eye and focusing on developing our human skills, we can capitalize on its strengths and create a better future for learning, creating content, and other areas of life.
References:
Kumar, R., Eaton, S. E., Mindzak, M., & Morrison, R. (2023). Academic Integrity and Artificial Intelligence: An Overview. In S. E. Eaton (Ed.), Handbook of Academic Integrity. Springer, Singapore. https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-981-287-079-7_153-1
Korteling, J. E., van de Boer-Visschedijk, G. C., Blankendaal, R. A. M., Boonekamp, R. C., & Eikelboom, A. R. (2021). Human- versus Artificial Intelligence. Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence, Vol 4. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frai.2021.622364/full
Peng, Z., Wan, Y. Human vs. AI: Exploring students’ preferences between human and AI TA and the effect of social anxiety and problem complexity. Educ Inf Technol 29, 1217–1246 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-12374-4