The debate about AI assistance in learning is in full rage, from elementary school to lifelong learning. Developers offer products to institutions, individuals, and companies ranging from fully automated teachers via AI-assisted coaches to plagiarism and AI detection software. Yet, too often, we focus on whether we can do something and too little on whether we should do something. However, for HR departments and Boards, following the debate can be daunting for developing workable continuing education strategies. Thus, let us dive into the fascinating world of AI in adult education.
Advantages Of AI In Learning
The most significant use case for AI in Learning is freeing educators from routine tasks. AI can easily automate scheduling lessons, optimize follow-up reminders, and conduct minor check-ins. These routines free up valuable time for the educator to focus on the more significant issues.
AI can also be a 24/7 tutor, providing learners easy access to explanations and further training material. It can also provide an accountability buddy or someone to give feedback on ideas and motivational insights to silence our internal critics.
Providing these materials goes further than automated E-Mails or even learning management systems. AI can personalize this feedback based on development paces, strengths, weaknesses, and individual goals. The personalization ensures that every protege receives a customized learning experience.
Lastly, AI allows educators to change the objective based on the client. Corporate training and mentoring programs can significantly enhance training effectiveness if the examples and exercises match the industry and the trainees’ jobs. AI can automate the research into a company’s business and create exercise drafts that resonate and provide real-world applicability.
Lastly, automation and AI usage should reduce the costs of corporate training and coaching programs and more formalized degrees. The reduced costs, in turn, can democratize access to new opportunities and open up career paths previously closed to candidates with fewer means.
Disadvantages of Machine Learning in Education
The biggest problem when implementing AI for learning is the risk of diminishing teacher-protege interactions. These interactions are crucial in reaching learning goals, especially when developing social skills, empathy, or communication abilities. Finding the right balance, questioning assumptions, and actively soliciting feedback are key to maximizing learning opportunities and building an AI-human hybrid learning environment.
Biases are another significant issue in corporate learning. Today’s boardroom diversity is mainly shaped by who got managerial roles in the 1970s and 1980s. Consequently, the pool of diverse directors is significantly smaller than desirable. Unfortunately, AI might conclude that the lack of diversity is the desired state and choose training path and material according to the data for the candidates. Thus, a biased bath might lead to unfair decisions reinforcing the biased situation, destroying corporate cultures, and opening organizations to lawsuits.
Beyond the human-technology risks, AI learning comes with its technological risks. Effective learning exposes our vulnerabilities, successes, and challenges to AI. When combining this information with corporate data, like our positions, AI can create an extensive profile of our careers. Consequently, organizations have to ensure the security of the data and the AI model and protect it from breaches.
Finally, learning providers, teachers, and coaches must ensure that learners can act without being dependent on the calculator. Phrases like “You won’t be able to carry a calculator everywhere!” might show that expectations in behavior and technology change. Yet, no matter how advanced AI will become, humans must develop interpersonal connections and critical thinking. No amount of computerization will replace that. Consequently, we need to ensure that our learning strategies do not become overly reliant on technology to the point where they try to replace human reasoning, creativity, and ingenuity.
Hybrid Learning – A Way To The Future?
Ultimately, combining Humans and AI will democratize lifelong learning and help us reach new zeniths in our careers. Combining AI’s advantages and using human reasoning to eliminate the disadvantages will allow teachers, coaches, and educators to supercharge learners’ and proteges’ outcomes. Yet, under all the tech talk, we shouldn’t forget that the focus of any learning is to help us grow as wholesome humans and not just become better drones within the system.