After ChatGPT was introduced to a wide audience in November 2022, some people voiced their concerns about the future of education. Some of them even said that AI will kill homework, creativity, and learning in general as students would stop doing any tasks on their own. Nevertheless, now, when the degree of emotion has decreased, such talks have faded into the background. Today there are more discussions of the impact of generative AI in education with a focus on positive changes that it can bring. 

Artificial Intelligence in education: Current trends

Despite the huge work being done in this sphere, the whole potential of generative AI and its power are still not fully explored. But even those things that are already known seem quite promising and exciting. Let’s take a deep breath and dive deep into the underwater of artificial intelligence.

There are a lot of horror stories that AI will soon just replace all teachers or that people won’t need education at all (as robots will do everything). However, that’s definitely not the direction that this technology is moving in.

The generative AI impact on education can be observed mainly in the aspects of personalization and automation. And both of them have a direct influence on the efficiency of the learning journey.

But what do teachers think about the introduction of AI-powered tools? 

More than 50% of the professionals who took part in Forbes Advisor’s survey admitted that AI has had a positive effect on teaching and learning. Less than 1 in 5 cited a negative effect.

According to the same source, among the AI tools teachers mainly rely on are AI-powered educational games (51%). Adaptive learning programs are used by more than 40% of educators, while chatbots for student support were named by 35% of respondents.

All this seems to be a positive trend. It can indicate a growing demand for such solutions and look like a good business idea. Moreover, market statistics also proved this thesis.

In 2023, the generative AI in education market size was $299.8 million. Now, experts predict that by 2033, it will reach  $7,701.9 million. The estimated CAGR of 39.5% for the period from 2024 to 2033 sounds quite impressive, doesn’t it?

Education today: Current issues

Someone may say that the traditional approach to education is really the best one. It is based on communication, developing cognitive skills and creativity via reading, writing, and exploring the world on your own. Without any doubt, it has its benefits. But there are spots even on the sun. The same is true about traditional education. Let us mention a few:

1. Tons of paperwork and teacher overload. Some educators say that if they didn’t have so much stuff to do with reports, plans, and other papers, they would eventually have time to teach students. Due to various administrative tasks, teachers may feel too exhausted and demotivated when it comes to their key responsibilities.
2. Lack of individualized approach. One of the main issues of traditional education is that all students are treated just as if they were the same. This one-size-fits-all model doesn't account for individual learning paces, needs, interests, and skills.
3. Standardized testing and rigid curriculum. This point is closely related to the previously mentioned issues. All students have the same time for learning each topic. Standard measurables and benchmarks are applied during testing. All this can make the learning process for some students a nightmare, especially for those who hate rote memorization, instead of deeper understanding.
4. Teacher-centered learning. As a rule, teachers deliver all the necessary information. And students just receive it passively. It means that the participation and engagement of learners are quite limited.
5. Inadequate preparation for modern workspace requirements. Many traditional educational practices do not align with the skills needed today. For example, very often such skills as digital literacy, teamwork, and adaptability are fully ignored.

How is AI affecting education?

An important thing to mention in this context is that AI in combination with other technologies can efficiently address these issues. 

• Huge volumes of paperwork? AI-powered systems can generate reports, write plans, and compose schedules. Teachers can also rely on such solutions for creating tests and assessments.
• Need for personalization? AI solutions can analyze the requirements and interests of each student, and create unique materials and plans. This also helps to boost inclusivity. 
• Lack of engagement? Apps with artificial intelligence can change this. The use of chatbots as well as VR and AR tools will ensure interactive learning experiences for everyone.

In other words, such systems can solve a lot of routine tasks for teachers and make learning much more exciting for students. As a result, higher satisfaction for both parties will be guaranteed. And their efforts will bring better fruits. 

Generative AI use cases in education

We offer you to have a look at how GenAI can be used in education already today.

Content and task creation

Generative AI can assist in creating educational materials, like quizzes, lesson plans, and instructional content. This reduces the time teachers spend on preparing materials. AI generation can ensure a practically unlimited number of test variants. As a result, each student will receive a unique task. So it will make no sense to copy answers from the blanks of their neighbors. 

Interactive learning environments

AI-powered chatbots and virtual tutors can interact with students, answer questions, and provide explanations in real time. These systems can offer personalized guidance and support outside of classroom hours​.

Adaptive learning systems

GenAI can be used to create adaptive learning platforms. Such platforms can adjust the difficulty and type of content based on a student’s performance. By using generative AI in education, it is possible to provide a customized learning experience for each person. 

Automated feedback and grading

AI can automate the grading of assignments and provide immediate feedback to students. Today such tools are often used for such subjects as writing. There, AI can offer detailed comments on grammar, structure, and content. In one of our previously published articles, we explained the benefits of AI assessment in higher education. If it sounds interesting, just follow the link.

Virtual labs and simulations

With AI, it is possible to create realistic simulations and virtual lab environments for subjects like science and engineering. Thanks to this, students will have a safe controlled environment for their experiments.

Accessibility solutions

People with disabilities always face some difficulties and limitations in accessing learning content and materials. However, such tools as automatic captioning, text-to-speech, and speech-to-text can fully change the game for them. 

Educational games

While answering the question “How can generative AI be used in education?”, we can’t but mention AI-powered games. Here we are talking about students of all ages. Gamification can always bring some fun and motivation. And with AI functionality, games can adapt to the player's level of knowledge.

Language learning apps

GenAI can become a great language-learning companion. It can help users practice foreign languages, correct mistakes, and simulate real-life conversations. With such apps, users can study new materials at their own pace and reach better results. 

Negative effects of artificial intelligence in education 

Of course, the use of any technology or the implementation of any methodology may have its pros and cons. Given this, it’s high time to consider the limitations and issues that the use of GenAI is associated with.

• Plagiarism. Plagiarism in essays is at the top of the list of teachers’ concerns, according to the results of the Forbes Advisor’s survey. They are preoccupied that instead of writing essays on their own, students will rely on language models like GPT. 
  Yes, such risks exist. But it is not a reason to ban AI or convince students that AI is pure evil. It is just a good reason to look for alternative tasks or project types for students. For example, instead of home essays, it is possible to organize in-class group discussions or debates. You know, while some people see a problem, others see an opportunity. 

• Reduced human interaction. These days a lot of teachers are worried that due to the use of AI in learning students will have less contact with their peers and professors. Nevertheless, students get more possibility to develop other skills, like digital literacy. 
• Data privacy and security. AI systems in education require vast amounts of student data to function effectively. Inadequate protection measures can result in data breaches and misuse.
• Bias and discrimination. When it comes to AI models, the principle “garbage in garbage out” works perfectly. Used training data always includes some bias. As a result, these biases will be amplified in the responses provided by AI. It may lead to unfair treatment of certain groups of students. The only thing that can be done here is very careful monitoring of the data used for training. However, when it comes to large language models this doesn’t seem fully possible.
• AI hallucinations. Sometimes GenAI tools can write absolutely crazy or irrelevant things. It happens when a model doesn’t have enough information or the quality of this data is poor. Due to such cases, students can receive the wrong info for learning and get fully confused.
• Job displacement.  AI can assist teachers. But there is a fear that it may eventually replace them, leading to job losses and a devaluation of this profession. Nevertheless, it’s not fully true. The AI that we deal with today is the so-called “weak” AI that can fulfill some set tasks. But it can’t think and it doesn’t have intentions. So we shouldn’t humanize it. The human touch will be still highly required in education. At least in the foreseeable future.

How can generative AI be used in education? Real-life examples

What AI tools are used in education today? The list can be rather long.

Of course, such solutions as ChatGPT, Gemini by Google (formerly known as Bard), Midjourney, Bing, and Claude are among the most popular options. However, there are many solutions integrated with this technology.

Let us name some other products. Genei relies on the power of AI to summarize various texts, including those in PDF files, to accelerate research. This can viewed as a good example of using generative AI in higher education. Instead of wasting time looking through thousands of pages, students can get a quick summary. Based on it, they can make up their mind on whether this source is worth deep analysis.

Knowji is an AI-powered tool for expanding vocabulary. It is targeted at users of all ages and can create learning materials that will help to memorize new words. 

MathGPTPro is trained to provide simple explanations of complex maths problems, while Quizlet can offer flashcards and unique practice tests on different topics.

In the context of the benefits of generative AI in education, we’d like to mention one of the tools developed by our team. Our client was a tutor. He helps students learn how to write essays for the Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT). With a deep understanding of the role of high-quality essay feedback, this tutor decided to launch an online automated essay feedback system. 

There were some similar solutions but they could provide only approximate grades during preparations. The task for Tensorway was to deliver a system that would provide detailed feedback to students based on different parameters, including overall quality, structure, ideas, clarity, etc. The solution was trained on real essays and feedback. To achieve accurate results, our team needed to use a minimum of 500 high-quality essay samples with corresponding grades and feedback. 

To make this solution easy to use, we integrated the built AI model into an accessible online platform. Thanks to this AI tool,  students can not only get feedback on one essay but also continuously improve their writing. 

The developed system can be also adapted for academic purposes, like other admission exams or corporate training programs. View the full case study at the link.

Generative AI in education: Future predictions

It’s obvious that AI is transforming education. But what should we expect?

• AI-powered collaborative environments. In the future, we will observe the growing popularity of environments where humans and AI systems seamlessly cooperate. AI can analyze how students interact with each other and provide recommendations for group activities.
• Lifelong learning. With modern tools, it is not obligatory to attend schools or courses to get new knowledge and skills. By using generative AI in education, it is possible to provide efficient programs and materials for learners with different needs. 
• Multimodal learning. It is expected that thanks to advancements in GenAI, learning programs will smoothly combine text, images, audio, and video formats. This will ensure better personalization and will allow everyone to choose the most efficient format for learning.
• Learning analytics and predictive modeling. The progress in GenAI will make it possible to implement analytics and predictive modeling. Thanks to this, educators will be able to get insights into student’s performance, interests, and needs. As a result, they will make better-informed decisions and ensure higher efficiency of the learning process.

Final word

It is already impossible to deny the benefits of generative AI in education. Of course, AI is changing the learning space. But definitely, not destroying. Vice versa despite some pitfalls, the integration of GenAI looks promising for making learning more personalized, engaging, and effective. 

If you are planning to launch your own AI-powered solution, at Tensorway, we will be always ready to help you. With our expertise in working with AI models and their successful implementation, we will be able to cope with tasks of any complexity. For more information, do not hesitate to contact us.