Vytautas Barzdaitis, CEO at Adroiti, has worked at the Faculty of Informatics at Vytautas Magnus University for two decades. He affirms the inevitable impact of AI on education and its influence on teaching and learning.
"Efforts are underway to steer the use of AI in education towards responsible and ethical applications, ensuring that technology enhances teaching, learning, and educational outcomes while preserving human values and promoting positive learning experiences," says Vytautas.
Vytautas pointed out several essential aspects that are commonly discussed within the academic community but often overlooked in mainstream media. These key points are crucial for everyone to comprehend.
Privacy and Security Risks
One of the primary concerns highlighted is the risk of privacy breaches and data security issues within educational AI systems. Here, we see the urgent need for the ethical development and implementation of AI education systems with robust security measures.
The rise of AI is distinctly altering conventional learning methodologies. Today, I focus on understanding how students think and engaging directly with them rather than merely assigning routine homework and essays. I encourage the use of AI among my students. When students encounter challenges in understanding, AI aids in expediting their access to information, guiding them toward resources, and nurturing critical thinking skills.
Disempowerment of Teachers
Another crucial aspect under discussion revolves around the potential displacement of teachers' roles and decision-making by commercial AI organizations, potentially compromising educational quality. However, AI proponents make a good case here, saying that the aim of utilizing AI is not to replace human educators but to preserve their expertise to support teachers and students.
Valuing Human Intelligence
The risk of overemphasizing AI's intelligence and overlooking the essential social and emotional aspects crucial for learning is a significant concern. Here, solutions are turning towards transparency, accountability, and the ethical use of AI tools in education, in line with human rights principles. In this scientific debate, the involvement of students, parents, and community members in decision-making processes is recommended to ensure the use of AI aligns with social justice and human rights principles.
Although Vytautas is a proponent of artificial intelligence solutions, he agrees with the views of Wayne Holmes (PhD, University of Oxford), who stresses the need to critically examine whether artificial intelligence makes learning more effective in getting on the right track. Challenging assumptions about the unconditional benefits of AI in education and making evidence-based decisions is crucial.
In conclusion, Vytautas notes that banning AI might be the worst course of action, as students invariably find ways to engage with restricted technologies.
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