Three Reasons Education is Afraid of AI and What Can Be Done to Help
Education is one of the most important sectors of any society. It is responsible for imparting knowledge, skills, and values to individuals, which in turn helps them to become productive members of society. However, in recent years, there has been a growing fear among educators about the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education.
This fear is driven by several factors, including concerns about the impact of AI on human intelligence, job displacement, and the potential misuse of AI technology. While these fears come from a place of reason, they can be put at ease but taking a deeper look at how AI is benefiting society, and how it can be monitored.
One of the primary reasons why education is so afraid of AI technology is the fear that it will replace human intelligence. Many educators believe that AI technology will be able to perform tasks that are traditionally associated with human intelligence, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making. This fear is not entirely unfounded, as AI technology has already demonstrated the ability to perform these tasks to some extent. 
However, it is important to note that AI technology is not designed to replace human intelligence but to augment it. AI technology can be used to enhance human intelligence by providing insights and recommendations that humans may not be able to generate on their own.
Another reason why education is afraid of AI technology is the fear of job displacement. Many believe that AI technology will lead to the loss of jobs in the education sector, such as teachers and administrators.
While it is true that AI technology can automate some tasks, it is important to note that AI technology cannot replace the human touch that is essential to effective education.
Teachers and administrators are responsible for building relationships with students, providing guidance and support, and creating a positive learning environment. These are tasks that cannot be automated by AI technology.
The potential misuse of AI technology is also a concern for educators. There is a fear that students will use AI to complete assignments or write essays. Some important things to note when thinking about that are, AI is like an amplified Google, something that has been available to students for years, and while it has the ability to write educational content it is not the first of its kind. New applications and software have already been developed to check student submissions for AI-generated content. The use of AI technology in education will be governed by ethical and legal frameworks to ensure that it is used in a responsible and ethical manner.
So, what can be done to address these fears?
One solution is to increase awareness and education about the potential of AI technology in education. Educators need to be aware of the benefits of AI technology, such as personalized learning, real-time feedback, and data-driven insights. They also need to be aware of the limitations of AI technology and the importance of the human touch in education. Another solution is to develop legal frameworks that govern the use of AI technology in education. These frameworks should ensure that AI technology is used in a responsible and ethical manner and that the privacy and security of students’ personal data are protected.
Education is afraid of AI technology for several reasons, including concerns about the impact on human intelligence, job displacement, and the potential misuse of AI technology. However, by increasing awareness and education about the potential of AI technology in education and developing ethical and legal frameworks that govern its use, we can address these fears and ensure that AI technology is used to enhance, rather than replace, human intelligence in education.