Artificial intelligence and associated technologies have gone full throttle on their generative capabilities in recent times. This is directly related to advanced language models and the development of complex neural networks that have influenced a rise in the development of generative AI and AI content. With both AI writing and AI-generated images taking the digital world by storm, it is only logical to think that these technologies will soon have a greater influence on education and academics. Platforms like Dall-E and Midjourney have already begun displaying their impressive capabilities at generating images that depict complex and surreal representations by merely deciphering a detailed prompt. Alongside this, video creation is also made possible by AI content generation protocols like Google’s Imagen, which can render a full-length video from mere text-based instructions. Beyond the artistic and creative prospects of these technologies, the potential they present for education must be studied in detail as we approach an imminent increase in the availability of AI-generated content.
Apart from productivity and enhancement of visualization, AI content can also become useful for teachers to create immediate and customized visual demonstrations for students. This could also play into the speculations of improved and enhanced adaptive learning protocols that will rise in the future alongside advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning. Though academia might still be a few ways away from extensive AI use in the classroom, indirect utilization of AI through generated content in the form of written or visual matter is bound to grow over some time. As this happens, it will be interesting to observe the effects it has on students and their learning outcomes.
AI-Generated Content and Education
AI-generated content can aid with on-demand learning and personalization.
Apart from the rudimentary aspects of generative AI, the content produced by these technologies might just find an array of use cases in academics. The steady rise in AI-generated text and AI writing following the release of ChatGPT was a significant moment in the history of education. AI writing protocols are capable of synthesizing text-based content from a single prompt, making it possible for users to gain access to a simple tool that writes lengthy portions of text in a matter of seconds. While this became an immediate concern for academic integrity and the writing process as a whole, it still opened up the discussion to what was an apparent reality playing out in numerous schools and colleges across the world. Language model artificial intelligence—while stupendous in its capabilities—poses a significant threat to student learning outcomes and assignments if it is to be abused by students looking to find shortcuts to completing their written coursework. However, there does remain scope for AI writing and AI-generated content beyond essay and text generation. When deployed in the right capacity and under adequate supervision, AI content generation might just end up becoming one of the best adjunct tools for academicians looking to structure their courses better.
Apart from AI’s text generation capabilities, there has also been an uptick in the number of AI-generated images and associated content. Several specialized platforms have become increasingly popular, allowing users to generate high-quality images by using descriptive prompts. The potential this holds for teaching students is also extensive. Teachers might just be able to use these tools to generate visual representations of complex concepts on demand, allowing students to gain a more visual and detailed perspective. This is a feature that could play into the progressively increasing market for adaptive learning and personalized education. While the AI tools in themselves need fairly detailed prompts, a bit of training and familiarization can allow teachers to operate these technologies seamlessly. That’s not all, generative material can also be used by academicians to structure a plan for their curriculum before they make tweaks and put it into action for their students. Similarly, AI content can also change the way testing works in education and research.
Challenges in Using AI Content Generation for Students
Despite the impressive results, generative AI still remains in its early stages of development.
While talks and prospects of generative AI making it into mainstream education are on a perpetual rise, generative AI still remains in stages of infancy. Despite the many stupendous results AI content can provide in both text and visual format, generative AI is far from perfect and must be optimized for highly sensitive niches like academics. While the risk of error with automated machines is ever present, the unique phenomenon of AI hallucination has affected the credibility of generative AI to a considerable extent. Generative AI is capable of presenting even blatantly inexistent or absurd bits of information convincingly in response to user prompts. This has remained a key concern for both developers and adopters of AI content.
Apart from the obvious risks of error, bias, and limitations of AI datasets, there exists the possibility of AI-generated content permanently changing the way humans learn and grasp information. So far, interaction and communicative learning have retained central focus in the way humans have indulged in education. Despite the many advancements that followed the industrial and information revolutions, the human element was never truly removed from academia. However, the arrival of AI and its associated disciplines like analytics and big data might just force us to rethink the paradigm that has remained unchallenged despite the rapid modernization of human civilization in the past four centuries.
The Outlook for AI in Education
Resolution of outstanding critical issues will be key to the widespread adoption of AI-generated content in education.
Generative AI has been receiving a concerted push from major tech companies. With governments rushing to deal with this phenomenon with regulations and other measures, these technologies are bound to proliferate over time. Emerging rivalries in the industry will further propel innovation in the niche and further expose untapped markets to the implementation of AI content generation. As education is among those sectors that require pointed information and sensitivity, the timeline in which AI and AI-generated content make it into the mainstream might be prolonged. However, the benefits and drawbacks of these tools seem fairly apparent. So long as civilization grows to accept the emerging trends and developments in the tech industry, it is also imperative for these companies to indulge in the best possible standards and in the creation of responsible AI to aid mutually beneficial practices in education.