AI’s Impact On Education

Sugam Gautam

Last month, a professor who taught me at the university, presented a case study problem. Right after skimming through the papers he provided, I felt like returning them to him because I couldn’t help but hold a grudge against him. I could easily identify that the case study problem was generated by AI. Little did I know then that the worst was yet to happen. I found it really disconcerting when he asked the students to consult AI in order to solve the given problem. While my other friends were elated with the professor’s permission to consult AI, it didn’t sit well with me.

It’s true that the latest developments in AI have transformed every aspect of human lives, mostly in a positive way. Yet, if someone like a professor suggests that students rely on AI, what is the point of running a university? Given that access to AI tools costs less than university fees, why would a student want to waste money on formal education? The statement I have made might draw controversies, as people believe that the integration of AI into studies makes learning easier, quicker, and more qualitative. Not only university-level students but even school-going kids have started doing assignments with the help of AI.

This phenomenon has raised a serious question: will people stop attending schools and universities in the future? The answer will be yes if teachers continue to encourage students to use AI to find answers. Well, it’s not to say that the use of AI is entirely wrong, but its utility should be examined so that students’ imaginative power doesn’t falter. Instead of asking students to use AI upfront, they should be encouraged to brainstorm. Rather than asking them to find answers on AI platforms, they should be given a pen and paper first, and later they can seek aid from AI. By using this real incident as an example, I want to involve every teacher in this pressing discourse on flawed teaching processes.

Almost every academic institution in Nepal conducts physical examinations, where the use of digital devices is strictly prohibited. If a student can’t access the internet and AI during examinations, then there’s no point in making students overly reliant on technology during the learning process. Either the examination model should be changed to allow students to use the internet, or teachers must play an active role in developing students' cognitive and brainstorming abilities. The main concern is finding the right way to engage students in brainstorming.

I might sound pessimistic, but the truth is that people involved in the teaching and learning process have become overly dependent on digital platforms, studying and researching less than ever. Libraries are no longer visited, and newspapers are no longer flipped through. With the advent of technology, people have stopped reading newspapers and magazines. People have overlooked the significance of newspapers and the contribution they make to shaping one’s opinion and developing one’s command over the language. We have leapt a great distance into the digital world, but it’s equally crucial to uphold traditional approaches to learning. It is indispensable to understand that AI and the internet are means, not an end. Let’s not overly rely on them.