Artificial intelligence (AI) has influenced various sectors of our society, such as business, healthcare and education. To discuss the various uses of AI in education, the University and its partner the Policy Studies Organization, held an online conference called “AI and the Future of Education: Disruptive Teaching and Learning Models” earlier this month.
The conference featured several speakers giving presentations, including University President Nuno Fernandes. In his presentation, President Fernandes stated that the University “is becoming a digital university.” He also noted that with the aid of AI tools, our faculty and courses will offer a more customized educational experience for students and help them to better acquire the skills and knowledge they will need in the future.
Dr. Matthew Lease Said That the Use of AI Will Become Routine Over Time
Dr. Matthew Lease, a professor of information science and technology from the University of Texas at Austin, predicted that the use of AI will become more routine over time. Personally, I’ve noted that the use of AI tools has become routine in our English classes at AMU and APU over the last two years. Students have improved their writing performance and acquired more courage and confidence in their writing.
Dr. Lease also suggested that instructors could use Copilot®, Microsoft’s AI tool, to engage students in online classrooms and for in-person courses. He suggested that teachers offer games to students to help them learn about the uses of AI tools and gave examples of how he used those games in his courses.
Dr. Michael Jabbour Discussed How AI Is Being Used Today
Dr. Michael Jabbour, the Chief Innovation Officer of Microsoft Education, talked about how children four years of age and older use AI tools to search for answers.
Dr. Jabbour also said that 40% of the work today in any business or science field is performed using automation such as AI tools. He predicted that about 100 million jobs will be lost in the next year or two, due to the influence of AI.
Dr. Jabbour was concerned with how people in business will require upskilling to avoid losing their jobs. He stated, “Leaders must be trained for certainty and educated for uncertainty.”
In addition, Dr. Jabbour issued a warning to educators, observing, “We need to prepare students for ambiguity.” He noted that 77% of professionals benefit from AI and that the same percentage of employees are now bringing their own AI tools to the office.
Dr. Glover Spoke about the Use of AI in Education and How It Is Causing Uncertainty
Dr. Lori Glover, the Managing Director of Global Strategic Alliances at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), stated that students, faculty and schools have struggled to become comfortable when it comes to using AI in education. She talked about the “dramatic uncertainty” of AI use in classrooms, due to the rapid adaptation of using AI tools over the last two years.
Dr. Glover also noted that while AI is useful, there are also costs to using it unethically. In some cases, students or faculty members have used AI tools as a shortcut for writing papers, rather than doing the work themselves. She cautioned educators to not forget to teach the “unique human skills” compared to the “AI skills.”
Congressman Jay Obernolte Noted That AI Will Create New Jobs and Opportunities
Congressman Jay Obernolte, Chairman of the bipartisan House AI Task Force, also spoke about the transformation that AI will have on our society. He said that there will be a report about AI coming out at the end of 2024.
Congressman Obernolte also repeated the message of other speakers, stating that we “will need a lifelong education throughout our lives.” He cautioned, “It is a problem to try to stop the displacement of jobs due to AI,” and said, “AI will create new jobs and opportunities for humans.”
AI Will Continue to Affect Our Lives
Although we’re still figuring out the impact of AI in education and other sectors of our society, it’s clear that it’s not going away any time soon and that all our lives will be affected in some way. But through these types of conferences, we can be better prepared to understand how to use AI tools ethically and to assist us in routine tasks to free up more time for educating students.
Copilot is a registered trademark of the Microsoft Corporation.
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