Today, we are living in the 21st century, which is, indisputably, the era of digital revolutions. Among these revolutions, those relating to Artificial Intelligence (AI) are prominent. AI, which has been the talk of the town of late, has profoundly influenced nearly every facet of human existence. And education, which is a passport to national development and prosperity, is no exception. Like any innovation, AI presents both advantages and drawbacks in the realm of education. However, adopting an optimistic perspective reveals that its advantages far outweigh its disadvantages when employed effectively.
Due to its ubiquitous use, AI has become prevalent in every aspect of our lives, including education. AI has shown remarkable promise in the field of education. Artificial intelligence in education (AIED)refers to the use of computer technology to assist students in their learning. For students, AI can perform a slew of functions, which are enumerated hereunder. Firstly, it can play the role of a personal tutor. A student can clear any doubts regarding a topic which he does not comprehend clearly. What is amazing about the AI programs is that the more one interacts with it, the more familiar it gets with him. In this context, AI provides students personalized and customized learning. Additionally, the easy and 24/7 accessibility of AI programs makes it of more importance.
Secondly, students can utilize AI as their personal editor for creative writing. There is a dearth of the latter in our students. Due to rote learning and copy-paste culture, the Pakistani education system greatly lacks the practice of creative writings. Even some teachers, if not all, regrettably speaking, cannot produce even a single page of creative writing. One reason for the lack of practice of creative writing, among a slew of reasons, is the lack of good editors to find mistakes in students’ writings and guide them for the same. Writing, being a lucrative and interesting process, excites students, but due to lack of proper mentoring and feedback on their writings, they quit too soon. In this regard, various AI generative programs can play the role of a good editor to enhance students’ writing capabilities.
Thirdly, AI can provide quality materials for students’ homework and assignments. Sometimes, they find it difficult to find their desired topic in a book or on internet. In this situation, various AI chatbots are always there to rescue them with a single click. Moreover, AI has the ability to solve problems quickly. Thus, student can solve any of their scientific problems in no time and save their time, the most expensive currency, to invest it in other useful tasks.
Fourthly, students can translate a difficult text to their own language by using AI software like Google Translate and Microsoft Translator. They can find the meanings of difficult words and, thus, enhance their vocabulary as well. AI can provide them an exhaustive list of synonyms and antonyms for a single word. Moreover, one can summarize a whole book or an article with the help of AI. Additionally, one can also learn about other languages with the assistance of the same. AI is truly amazing; it can teach you in your mother tongue, thus greatly reducing language barriers. All in all, AI plays a significant role in educating the general masses.
Finally, AI can spark curiosity in students for learning. In today’s mobile-centric world, the younger generation spends most of its free time on mobile devices. If they feel bored with the burden of physical books, they can switch to their mobile phones to search and read unlimited material on any topic. The attractive graphical representation of data by AI makes learning more engaging. Moreover, since many students are avid-gamers, they can also learn from different AI strategy games, such as Go and Chess. Through these games, they can enhance their decision-making abilities, learn strategies formulation, and take calculated risk, among other skills.
Apart from the above-mentioned benefits, students can also seek help from AI in formulating study timetables, managing time and even personality grooming. A student can even ask it for proper attire while getting ready for a special occasion. In short, AI is always there for student’s help. Indeed, AI can prove to be a best friend if utilized properly. Thus, it can be inferred from the above discourse that by utilizing in a proper way, AI can greatly benefit the education system, which is, undoubtedly, a highway to the national development. Ergo, it is the need of the hour to harness the advantages of AI and diligently mitigate its potential negative impacts on the education system by taking proactive measures, including ethical guidelines and thoughtful policy-making. After all, today’s success lies in adopting new emerging technologies.
—The writer is currently serving as a lecturer in KP government.
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