AS artificial intelligence (AI) accelerates at an unprecedented pace in the history of technology, it is driving social-economic development in sectors include education, health, agriculture and commerce.
The introduction of AI-driven teaching and learning models is disrupting education systems all over the world.
Every facet of educational experience from the design of curriculum, syllabi and subjects to how research, assignments and examinations are executed is being turned up-side-down. As such, fundamental questions arise about the future purpose and format of education.
The curriculum has long been a straight-jacket and one-size-fit-all framework determined by educational authorities at relatively long frequencies.
The problem with this approach is that no two human beings are the same. Everyone has their unique strengths, weaknesses and intelligence.
The beauty of AI is that it enables dynamic and personalised curriculum. How can this be achieved? AI can analyse vast amounts of big data to identify talent, intelligence level, learning strengths, and weaknesses of every student.
The output enables AI to adapt learning and teaching approaches to suit the student's learning pace, style, and preferences. This creates learning paths personalised to students’ needs and best possible career paths.
In fact, AI tools can be used to analyse in real-time basis the students' responses, sentiment or facial expression and adjust the subject difficulty level during lessons or provide additional resources.
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The number and types of subjects could drastically shift as AI unlocks new ways of producing and absorbing knowledge. For instance, instead of the current approach where learners study individual subjects such as history, geography, or maths, AI enables learning using integrated concepts across disciplines to solve complex, real-world problems.
In addition, AI can introduce new fields of study that were previously inaccessible due to the limits of human teaching or curriculum design capacity.
As an example, African student’s education has little value if it cannot solve African problems. African education may require an interdisciplinary approach or a completely new field of study that solves the unique challenges faced by the continent.
Syllabi are traditionally updated using a slow cycle and often lags behind the latest developments in science, technology, and other accelerating fields. This creates a gap between what industry wants and what schools and universities produce.
When students come out of school, instead of readily using what they learnt, they almost have to restart acquiring new knowledge to solve real-world issues.
AI solves this problem by accelerating syllabi updates to align learning with world needs and the required breakthroughs. For instance, AI affects everything that we do, yet syllabi in most schools and universities are yet to include AI.
Textbooks have played a prominent role in education for centuries by enabling education content to be available in any part of the world for all types of students.
Printed text books help those without internet to access content. However, students use several recommended text books, which is costly.
AI can generate textbooks that are constantly updated with the latest content and case studies at a small cost compared to printing. AI can curate, and generate relevant and dynamic learning content from several sources into text, video or audio personalised for the learner.
In addition, interactive simulations effective in reinforcing student understanding can be produced. For instance, lessons for Zulu culture or medical science are better understood using virtual reality or simulations.
A topical issue is the AI impact on the duration of formal education. There is a sense that AI could alter the duration students spend in primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions. In some African countries, the duration total is 17 years, comprising seven years in primary, and six years in secondary school then four years at University.
Some argue that 17 years is too long for a fast-changing world. With AI-powered and personalised education system, students learn at their own pace, which can be the basis to shorten their education duration.
For instance, the current rigid four-year curriculum for the Bachelor of Science Economics degree can be replaced by modular education where students are awarded credits for achieving specific skills.
The earned skills and qualifications can be stored in a tamper-proof global blockchain database.
Universities and schools may no longer be the only place where people gain knowledge but their role could transform into providing specialised services that require physical presence since education will be online.
AI Online platforms can offer continuous learning opportunities for reskilling or new subjects over a lifetime, changing into a time-bound pursuit to a lifelong process.
The purpose and approach to homework, assignments, examinations and grading will shift significantly to reflect the fact that AI makes knowledge and information readily available in abundance.
Currently, students can pass by memorising information, which they do not even understand and will be readily available in abundance when they finish school. AI can potentially bring a new picture altogether.
Firstly, AI can evaluate essays, projects and oral presentations, providing automated feedback on coherence and argument. Secondly, examinations and tests become interactive, allowing students to demonstrate application of their skills in real-world situations through simulations.
Thirdly, research skills will not be assessed on how students find information but how they apply information.
A question that arises is the value we will get from the current formal schooling system in a future world where intelligence is abundant or a utility.
For instance, the current ChatGPT version has IQ of about 155, which is almost double the human median which is 80. If the next version of ChatGPT increases capability by 10 times, it can get to 1500 1Q.
This will be about 20 times higher than human beings whose IQ is not changing. Imagine, if you need an extra 100 IQ you simply use the phone from your pocket which has ChatGPT.
It is like plugging onto a wall for electricity or having Albert Einstein in your basement available to support you any time. Therefore, as AI and other technologies make vast amounts of knowledge available at our fingertips, the purpose of traditional education is questioned.
Some argue that the purpose changes from knowledge acquisition to skills development, creativity, problem-solving, emotional intelligence and learning to connect with humans’ beings.
In a world where information and intelligence are abundant, the ability to apply knowledge and to seek the truth are more important than memorising facts.
If AI eventually becomes the oracle, we must consider its implications on truth and information. Perhaps the primary purpose of education will be learning how humans and the digital species, which is the AI, will co-exist.
AI is not envisioned to have unique human traits such as ethics, values, hope, goals and vision. As such, there will always be areas where education will deliver unique value to humanity.
Education should prepare students for a future where their value is determined not just by what they know, but how well they connect with other humans and how they apply knowledge.
Education will help human beings to locate themselves in a world where machines handle the bulk of cognitive tasks.
- Magaya is the chairperson of the Artificial Intelligence Institute Africa — a pan-African non-profit organisation for AI advancement. He is also the chief executive officer and founder of rubiem, a digital transformation consultancy firm with operations in Sadc. [email protected]/ +263 71 777 0666/ X@AIInstituteAfr
