The Impact of AI (ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE) On Education!
To what extent is the inclusion of artificial intelligence in the field of education justified? Can any school or college be selected for training with robots fully equipped with artificial intelligence? By taking such a step, can we be free from worry about the future of the students? It is clear that there is a huge difference between memory capacity and reasoning power.
Recently, India has got its first AI (Artificial Intelligence) teacher. This is certainly an unprecedented achievement of the country in the field of technology. The name of this robot teacher introduced in a school in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala is ‘Iris’. This robot teacher is equipped with AI programs like ChatGPT and also has the ability to answer questions on subjects like mathematics and science. This AI teacher, who can speak in three languages, reached the school wearing a sari and also shook hands with the children.
This is a unique example of the use of artificial intelligence in the field of education. Although artificial intelligence started in 1950, its rapid development started after 1970. Talking about the recent times, after the existence of an open AI chat-bot called ChatGPT in November 2022, there has undoubtedly been a revolutionary emergence in the field of artificial intelligence. In ChatGPT, an attempt is made to answer questions and simplify all those tasks of humans by using high level algorithms and programming, which he has to use his intelligence to complete. By combining this ChatGPT with a robot, an artificial teacher has been brought into existence. A question that arises here is how far is the use of artificial intelligence appropriate in the field of education? A few days ago, a school in England has also made an AI chatbot the principal head teacher and has given AI based personal assistants to the students.
To what extent is the inclusion of artificial intelligence in the field of education justified? Can a school or college be completely handed over to robot teachers equipped with artificial intelligence? Can we be free from worries about the future of students by taking such a step? If we think deeply on these questions, we will get a negative answer. The reason is that this robot teacher based on artificial intelligence is merely a machine equipped with high-quality algorithms and high storage capacity of information. It can perhaps answer questions, but when it comes to curiosity and creativity, it will definitely fall flat on its face. The reason is clear that there is a huge difference between memory capacity and reasoning power. Robot teachers equipped with AI can never replace a real teacher, because at present they do not have the ability to think, understand and present arguments on any subject. To understand any subject in a better way, it is absolutely necessary to use your thinking power and reasoning power on it.
Statistics say that AI technology will eliminate 30 crore jobs by the year 2030. The International Monetary Fund’s comment on artificial intelligence also says that artificial intelligence is a technological revolution that will increase our productivity, global income and development, but this technological revolution can swallow many jobs and increase the inequality gap even more. What do all these reports mean? Will teachers lose their jobs in the future and will lifeless machines replace them?
Probably this assumption is being made because machine teachers do not need any salary. They only need charging of the battery installed inside them. On the other hand, a good part of the budget is spent on the salary of the teachers. The second point is that human teachers present their various demands from time to time. In case their demands are not fulfilled, protests are also held, whereas machine teachers will never present any kind of demand, protest is far away. If we look at some other differences, machine teachers can teach the same subject to the students as many times as they want, whereas human teachers may experience mental stress or irritation if asked to repeat the same point or chapter again and again.
From these arguments it seems that AI based machine teachers will prove to be better than human teachers based on real intelligence in every respect, but this is only and only a imagination. The truth is that machines can replace humanity. Yes, if somehow humanity and emotions can be incorporated in machines then undoubtedly we will all be in danger, but it is not possible to do so at present. Now the question arises that to what extent should AI be allowed to interfere in the field of education so that it can be successful in taking education to the highest level of progress by using its positive aspects?
Technology has always had two aspects – positive and negative or curse. In the field of education also, we should use only the positive aspects of artificial intelligence. Replacing teachers with machines is unfair, because this step will increase a serious problem like unemployment. This will completely hamper the development of the country. The better way to do this is to provide AI based assistants to help teachers and students, but this is also a challenging task, because if students get free access to facilities like AI, they will look towards AI for the solution of even a small problem. The talent of finding solutions by trying on their own and carrying out tasks in a creative manner will gradually start going away from them.
There will be a day when they will be unable to present their independent thinking and reasoning on any subject. For this, students should identify the good and bad themselves and move in a positive and progressive direction. They should use AI only when necessary. Teachers should resort to artificial intelligence only to increase their knowledge and to get updated information about the subject. Through applications and innovations, teachers should always keep proving that no matter how advanced the machines reach, they can never compete with a living teacher.
Considering artificial intelligence as a boon, we should use it in adverse circumstances and in such a situation where humans are not able to work normally. For example, we have faced a pandemic like Covid three years ago. This pandemic has affected every human being in some way or the other. In times of such crisis, artificial intelligence should be used to continue education smoothly. In conclusion, it can be said that the use of artificial intelligence in the field of education can bring about a radical change in the form and level of education, provided that the use is done intelligently.
