Artificial Intelligence has become increasingly popular in recent years yet has seemingly taken off worldwide with the introduction of Chat GPT, and other similar AI applications. Nothing has ever seemed easier than typing in a few keywords, and letting the system do the rest.
What some may argue is a tool for getting over creative roadblocks, others may say opens the door to unoriginal work, and perhaps plagiarism. Regardless of differing opinions on AI systems, one thing is for certain: they are here to stay.
The Employer Branding Academy has always had the goal of providing top-quality content and allowing our learners to be given the best information possible. What does this mean for traditional learning and education? Are these new systems beneficial and crucial to elevating a learning experience, or do they allow room for ‘laziness’ and disrupt proper learning by taking machine-generated content and claiming it as your own?
After some desktop research, and of course user experience with a few of these systems, there are both Pros and Cons to implementing AI into your everyday learning.
AI in Learning: The Pros:
Tailored, and personalized learning experience
The consensus is that the biggest advantage of implementing AI in learning is its ability to provide more tailored and specific learning experiences to the individual learner. AI is capable of identifying a student's learning preferences, areas for improvement, and study style in order to design a learning route specifically for them. Better learning results and increased engagement may result from this.
Efficiency
AI can also help teachers perform their duties more effectively. Teachers can concentrate more on instruction and less on administrative duties by automating certain chores like marking, scheduling, and student comments, but are also able to track if certain papers, exams, or other online materials were written or completed with the use of AI. This of course is a benefit to the teachers, and a warning to the students as it discourages them from copying and pasting work that is not theirs. (If you think ChatGPT or other AI writers cannot be traced back to the app, think again!)
Engagement
An increase in student enthusiasm involvement, and engagement is possible with AI-powered learning tools by making them more interactive and captivating. This may result in a more positive learning environment overall and enhanced success.
Learning any time and any where
Students can learn at their own speed and on their own timetable thanks to AI-powered learning tools that are accessible from anywhere at any time. If a student works in the evenings, has extracurricular activities, or difficult living arrangements, proper tools and learning practices with the help of AI can be put in place so that the student does not suffer in their learning journey.
As mentioned above, while there are pros, many are also seeing the cons.
AI in Learning: The Cons
Lack of human contact
The absence of human engagement is one of the main problems with using AI for learning. Algorithms for personalized learning may be efficient, but they will never be able to fully substitute the human touch that an instructor can offer. Social and emotional intelligence, which are essential for success in the real world, can only be developed in students through contact with other people.
Bias
The quality of AI algorithms depends on the material they are educated on. The program will also be prejudiced if the data is skewed. This might result in treating some student groups unfairly and sustaining current societal injustices. For example, ChatGPT only uses data up to 2021. This means that if someone is using it to learn about a specific topic or event, the knowledge and information is not only limited, but outdated and not relevant if the topic in question is past the year 2021.
Cost
Creating and deploying learning tools driven by AI can be pricey. For many schools and organizations, especially those in lower-income regions, this expense may be a deterrent to enrollment. While the one that continues to be mentioned (ChatGPT) is free, implementing a uniform AI solution for all learners in a school or organization can be quite a financial burden.
Technology dependence
Using AI in education also leads to a dependency on technology. The learning process might be interrupted if the technology doesn't work. Students who significantly depend on learning tools with AI-powered capabilities may find this to be especially problematic.
In closing, there are advantages and disadvantages to using AI in education and learning experiences. Although learning tools driven by AI have the potential to transform education, they must be used with caution and consideration. The possible negative effects of AI must be understood by educators and teachers and content creators who work with educational materials, who must also strive to reduce them. The secret is to find a happy medium between the use of technology and the human touch, which is so important for continued learning and growth.
What are your thoughts on implementation of AI in learning? Is this something you agree with, or something you are trying to avoid? Let us know in the comments below!