AI is set to change education – what can enterprise leaders learn from this development

After six decades of dreaming and experimenting, we may be on the verge of a technology-enabled revolution in education. The Arizona State Board of Charter Schools recently approved application by Unbound Academy for a new online school that replaces traditional teachers with AI teaching assistants, promising to deliver 2.4 times the academic growth for students compared to results from conventional schools.

This breakthrough is not the result of another incremental technological experiment—rather, it represents the latest chapter in a 60-year quest in computer-assisted instruction (CAI) to transform education through technology. This time, the evidence suggests a a serious break maybe close. If this Academy and similar initiatives succeed, it will mark the realization of a long-held dream.

The idea of ​​using computers to aid student learning dates back to the 1950s, with the first request — Programmed Logic for Automated Instructional Operations (PLATO) — appeared in 1961. PLATO offered interactive lessons and real-time feedback using terminals connected by telephone lines to a computer system. time division. Like other time-sharing systems, PLATO eventually failed due to the high costs involved.

Other attempts at immersive, experiential learning included Second Life – a virtual world accessible via the internet where people participated as avatars – in the early 2000s. Although not clearly a CAI tool, Second Life demonstrated its potential for immersive virtual learning environments. At least at one point 300 universities including all over the world Stanford and Harvard teach courses or conduct research on the platform. Ultimately, Second Life struggled due to a poor user interface (UI), strong technical requirements, steep learning curve and inability to scale.

The arrival of AI generation in 2017 marks a turning point in CAI, with tools like Written and Fotomata enhance both teaching and learning. Writable, for example, uses AI to provide feedback on student writing, helping teachers manage large workloads. As reported with Axios, Writable uses ChatGPT to generate ideas and comments that are sent to the teacher, who is expected to review and tweak them before giving feedback to the students.

Tools like these highlight the growing role of AI in addressing the resource constraints that have long existed in traditional education. In some school districts in the US, elementary school class sizes exceed 40 students. If a teacher spent 10 minutes reading and judging a piece of writing from each student, that would be 400 minutes, or more than 6.6 hours outside of class time, to provide feedback for one assignment. That seems impossible, especially in conjunction with assessing other student assignments. A boost from technology will help address this challenge.

AI-powered tutoring at scale

In a more complete way, the Khan Academyled by founder Sal Khan, has been offering free online education classes since 2008. In 2023, the company launched Khanmigoan interactive AI tutor for students that includes ChatGPT.

In a TED Talk 2023Khan talked about Khanmigo's potential to improve student performance. In the speech, he discussed 1984 paper entitled “The 2 Sigma Problem” by education professor Benjamin Bloom, then at the University of Chicago and Northwestern University.

The oft-cited paper argued that students who received personal tutoring performed two standard deviations better than those who received only traditional classroom instruction. However, Bloom was aware that this level of instruction was unrealistic due to resource constraints including the cost of obtaining human teachers. Bloom believed that the solution was to design more economical interventions that could address the benefits of education.

Khan argues that although AI-powered technology is used, Khanmigo effectively overcomes the resource constraints. As Notright in a case study from Harvard Business School, Khan said that Khanmigo could be “that holy grail that we've all been reading about in science fiction for years, about AI that could mimic on a human teacher.”

Some have pointed to flaws in Bloom's paper, questioning the evidence supporting his conclusion and dismissing the claims as given. In an effort to “separate science fiction from science fact,” Paul von Hippel, professor and associate dean for research in the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas, choose that both standard deviation claims are both “complicated and oversimplified.” Nevertheless, there is little question that the use of technological tools could improve educational outcomes.

Balancing efficiency and human connection

While AI tools Showing great promise in addressing resource constraints, their adoption raises broader questions about the role of human connection in learning. Which brings us back to Unbound Academy. Students spend two hours online each school morning working through AI-guided lessons in math, reading and science. Tools like Khanmigo and IXL personalization of instruction and analysis of progress, adjusting the difficulty and content in real time to optimize learning outcomes. The Charter claim states that “this ensures that each student is consistently challenged to the best of their ability, preventing boredom or frustration.”

The Unbound Academy model significantly reduces the role of human teachers. Instead, human “leaders” provide emotional support and encouragement while also leading. workshops on life skills. What do students lose by spending most of their learning time with AI instead of human instructors, and how could this model reshape the teaching profession?

The Unbound Academy model is already used in a number of private schools and the results obtained are used to prove the benefits it claims. However, it is not clear how a computer model will affect a student's ability to foster human connections outside of a traditional school setting. These issues and questions highlight the complex benefits that schools such as Unbound Academy must navigate as they redefine the education landscape.

Is the revolution here?

The Academy is not the only example of AI being used in schools. Khanmigo is being piloted in 266 US school districts in grades three through 12. As reported with CBS, the software is used by teachers as well as students. This pilot program provides insight into how AI could be integrated into existing education systems, supporting teachers and students by improving lesson planning, saving time and providing real-time insights into student progress.

CAI has come a long way since PLATO, albeit over 60 years. If AI-driven models succeed, they could democratize access to high-quality guidance. While AI has the potential to widen existing disparities, it also offers unprecedented opportunities to bring quality education to underserved communities.

Schools like Unbound Academy and those piloting Khanmigo's pioneering AI-driven teaching models aren't just testing a new educational approach – they're challenging our fundamental assumptions about how learning happens and what role human teachers should play in that process. The results could reshape education for future generations.

Gary Grossman is EVP of technology practice at Edelman and global lead of the Edelman AI Center of Excellence.