People today must deal with the fact that those skilled in AI will undoubtedly replace those who are not. When it comes to education, how will education and learning be affected by the requirement that the workforce of the future be AI-ready? What matters more is how today’s educators and students are affected by AI’s growing use and acceptance.

Introducing AI tools has caused a major revolution in the education environment. While proponents believe these tools help instructors, administrators and students by helping them understand more difficult content and improve their learning experience, critics express concerns about potential biases, privacy risks and the displacement of human teachers.

Some educators have embraced AI as a powerful differentiation and individualized instruction tool. For instance, AI-powered adaptive learning platforms can tailor lesson plans to meet the specific needs of each student, providing targeted support and challenging students at their appropriate level. This personalized approach has the potential to improve student engagement and academic achievement.

Houston ISD is set to introduce a new elective called “Fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence” for thousands of high school juniors and seniors in the 2024-2025 school year. The course, which covers data literacy, generative AI and responsible AI applications in business and classroom, will be taken by over 3,700 students across 41 locations.

HISD teachers prepare to incorporate AI into their teaching strategies during the summer at Waltrip High School. The district training sessions aim to equip teachers with the necessary knowledge and tools to integrate AI into their classrooms. This initiative is part of HISD’s commitment to providing students with a modern, forward-thinking education. As AI technology evolves, teachers must learn to adopt adaptive learning platforms, chatbots for student support, tutoring systems and other AI-powered tools to enhance instruction.

Allen Antoine, M.Ed., director of computer science education strategy for the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) at UT Austin, advocates bringing AI into classrooms to ensure students access cutting-edge technology. He believes AI is crucial for equipping students with the skills necessary for the future workforce.

“AI can help students succeed in coursework by providing tools that aid with everything from research to problem-solving,” he said. “Not every school or student has access to the technology necessary to take full advantage of AI,” he explained. “We need to ensure that AI tools are accessible to all students, regardless of their socio-economic background.”

Antoine has also written extensively on the need to bring generative AI tools to students of color, specifically Black students, who risk being marginalized if they lack the necessary AI skills.

In his article, “Black GPT: 5 Reasons that Black Students Should Learn About and Use Artificial Intelligence Models,” he argues that exposing African American students to these technologies is essential to avoid the creation of a new digital divide.

He asked Chat GPT, and it gave him five reasons, which included:

1. Career opportunities: The growing AI job market offers high-paying careers, and providing Black students with AI education can lead to better financial success, particularly as they are overrepresented in low-wage jobs.

2. Addressing societal issues: AI can drive social justice advancements, generating data-driven insights that promote change in advocacy, policymaking and outreach efforts.

3. Representation: Increasing Black representation in AI helps address technological biases, such as inaccuracies in facial recognition and healthcare tools, and ensures diverse perspectives in development.

4. Future impact: AI will shape health care, transportation and education systems. Involving Black students in AI development can positively affect marginalized Black communities.

5. Personal empowerment: Learning AI equips Black youth with valuable problem-solving and critical thinking skills, enabling them to shape their future actively rather than as passive participants.

He believes AI can enhance teaching efficiency and give educators more time to focus on their students.

“AI can help teachers generate ideas and lesson plans, but there will never be a substitute for knowing your student population — who’s in the room and why they care about what they’re learning,” Antoine said.

Bulent Dogan, Ed.D., clinical associate professor at the University of Houston and expert in educational technology, shares his thoughts on AI’s potential.

“For a long time in education, we’ve wanted to tap into individual students’ learning preferences and talents. AI can help make that possible by offering personalized guidance based on each student’s strengths and weaknesses,” says Dogan. He adds, “Imagine a student using an AI tool that gives them tailored advice or problems that focus on the areas they need help with the most. That could change how students learn.”

While AI offers promising opportunities for education, Dogan cautions against overreliance on technology.

“The biggest con is the feeling, thinking or notion that AI will replace human judgment,” he said.

“But that’s what we call autonomy. So, in other words, AI, at the end of the day, is an algorithm, and it relies on what humans provided as a data point.”

While AI has immense potential in education, it is clear that its implementation must be thoughtful and inclusive. Last year, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed House Bill 2060, establishing an AI advisory council to oversee how AI is being developed and used in Texas state agencies, including education.

This story is part of the Digital Equity Local Voices Fellowship Lab. The Lab initiative is made possible with support from Comcast NBCUniversal. This story appeared first on the Houston Defender on Sept. 28, 2024.