Technological advancement has introduced us to an entirely new frontier, one that is driven by digitisation and technologies. Seemingly simple aspects of life have been given a new focus. Music has evolved, with the introduction of bone conduction headphones and platforms like Spotify that allow for streaming. Business has transformed in the wake of automation and blockchain technologies. Healthcare has found itself disrupted by digitisation that has revolutionised the entire industry from the ground up.
One of the most affected industries of them all has undoubtedly been the education industry. Technology has been disrupting the education system for the last few years, and there have been some monumentally profound innovations since the dawn of its inception. While each and every technological innovation in the field has had significant impact on the industry in one way or another, the most profound of them all has been artificial intelligence.
Artificial intelligence is the front runner in technological advancement in the education industry for a number of reasons, all of which ultimately lead back to convenience and efficiency. Emerging technologies in the form of artificial intelligence and machine learning are taking on education tools, institutions, and systems, ultimately reshaping the future of education itself. Like most industries that have experienced technological disruption specifically in alignment with artificial intelligence, there has been a consistent concern among some individuals in the sector that AI implementation will eliminate the need for their presence, which would eventually lead to the elimination of their jobs altogether.
Something that is important to note is that like AI is incredibly smart technology at its core, it is not designed with the intent to take away jobs or take over entire industries. It is inevitable that some concepts of the education industry will be integrated with AI in the future, but the most important thing to note is that AI in education is being designed to collaborate with educators, not replace them. While some aspects of jobs will likely become automated (and some already have been), there are no jobs in education that can be taken over by an AI.
The reason for this is simple: AI lacks – and always will lack – the humanity that is unique to our species. This humanity is something that must be present in all industries – especially the industry that is shaping the minds and professionals of the future workforce. AI can be applied to some tools and aspects of education that help develop skills and testing systems of students and educators alike, and the sole hope for AI in the education industry is that it will work to fill needs gaps in both learning and teaching, giving the education experience a stronger, more reliable format than it has ever had access to. AI is efficiency in motion, and is generally built to drive forward personalisation.
Continuous development in artificial intelligence and machine learning has meant that the education industry has been in a constant state of development for a while now, always vying for greater impact and more permanent inclusion. The innovations that we have seen, and those that are currently disrupting the education system, are just a taste of what is to come. Artificial intelligence is an exciting, forward-thinking concept, and it is being driven further and higher as time goes on.