Artificial intelligence (AI) is on everyone’s radar these days, with organisations in all sorts of industries keen to harness its capabilities. But is AI really as transformative as some believe? How might it influence the education sector, and should educational institutions be looking to adopt this technology?
First, let's delve into what AI is and how it functions and then explore its wide range of use cases and benefits.
These days, computers can outplay professional chess players, quickly find proofs for complex mathematical theorems, and predict stock market trends more accurately than even the most experienced traders. AI is behind all of these accomplishments—and much more!
Artificial intelligence is a computer's ability to perform tasks typically associated with intelligent beings. At the core of AI lies machine learning (ML), which enables machines to learn how to execute specific tasks. In simpler terms, AI can be thought of as 'intelligence' acquired through programmed code, allowing it to recognise patterns just as humans do as a part of their innate cognitive skills. Various algorithms are used to train a digital neural network to process large datasets and identify patterns. For example, Google Maps uses historical traffic data processed by its neural network to predict how long your journey will take at different times of the day.
AI is now integrated into everyday life across various fields, from virtual assistants in smartphones to smart homes and self-driving vehicles. The positive transformations AI brings to different industries cannot be overlooked.
The application of AI and ML has the potential to completely transform the healthcare, medicine, and life sciences sectors. For instance, AI is revolutionising the way various diseases are diagnosed.
An exemplary company leveraging AI to assist pathologists in diagnosing diseases, such as cancer, is PathAI. Their AI system identifies patterns in tissue samples that might be overlooked by the human eye, leading to earlier and more accurate cancer diagnosis. PathAI's AI platform is highly sophisticated to ensure the correct identification of cancer, which carries significant implications for patient care.
When integrated with complementary technologies like robotics and blockchain, AI transforms various aspects of the healthcare industry, including:
The AI in healthcare market was valued at USD 15.4 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 37.5% from 2023 to 2030.
The opportunities for AI applications in the technological sphere are boundless. Take, for example, Deep Blue, IBM's ML-trained chess program, which harnesses rich data analysis capabilities to scrutinise all possible moves during a game, drawing from the best games of the past. This AI enabled the program to select the optimal moves, eventually defeating the world chess champion, Garry Kasparov.
The global AI market reached USD 69.25 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach approximately USD 1,871 billion by 2032, with a remarkable CAGR of 39.1%. AI is poised to usher in even more opportunities for technology and new business models.
In the IT sector, AI and ML are actively used in various areas, including:
• Ensuring software quality
• Analysing data for insights
• Predicting market trends and customer behaviour, particularly through social media data
• Conducting defect analysis
• Evaluating the efficiency of business processes
You've likely encountered AI's influence in the media sphere if you've enjoyed content on Netflix or any other streaming service. These platforms employ AI for precise content recommendations based on user preferences. This ensures that viewers receive shows and movies aligned with their tastes while helping streaming services reduce content spending significantly, thereby boosting audience engagement and subscription rates.
The global AI in the media and entertainment market achieved a substantial valuation of USD 10.9 billion in 2021. This thriving sector is poised for remarkable expansion, with a projected CAGR of 26.9% expected from 2022 through 2030.
The media industry has harnessed this technology in multiple ways, such as:
While it is reasonably clear how AI can be applied in highly technological industries like IT and healthcare, there is a question about the potential role of artificial intelligence (AI) in education. Teachers primarily oversee tasks such as observing children's behaviour, tracking their progress, and selecting the most effective teaching strategies—responsibilities that AI is unlikely to master as proficiently as humans, which directly impacts the quality of educational experiences.
However, AI can alleviate teachers' burdens by handling repetitive administrative tasks, thereby allowing them more room for creativity and focusing on students' individual needs. Unsurprisingly, the global AI in Education market was valued at USD 5,435.06 million in 2021 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 36.14% during the forecast period, reaching USD 34,597.13 million by 2027.
AI holds tremendous potential in various educational aspects, particularly in enhancing educational equity and access throughout the learning journey. Let's examine the major ones.
By incorporating intelligent tutoring systems, adaptive learning platforms, and AI, teachers can personalise learning programmes for each student. This technology allows them to adjust the pace, assignments, and content to match the specific needs and preferences of individual learners.
In this way, teachers will:
Ultimately, this approach to personalised learning empowers students to excel in their studies.
With the assistance of AI and intelligent tutoring systems, teachers can enhance their grading methods and provide personalised feedback to students, resulting in improved learning outcomes. For instance, AI-powered assessment tools like Gradescope can process students' assignments, categorise them, and assign grades.
This can reduce the time spent on assessment and grading by 70% or more, freeing teachers to focus on creative and academic pursuits. Additionally, it contributes to the efficiency of personalised learning experiences.
AI proves useful for handling repetitive administrative and school management tasks, including:
For instance, the Department for Education in the United Kingdom has adopted an AI-powered system developed by Capgemini to streamline digital correspondence. Robotic process automation has enabled them to expedite email responses significantly.
AI applications can be valuable for classroom management tasks, including:
For instance, at the Georgia Institute of Technology, AI-powered adaptive learning platforms were employed as a teaching assistant for a course with 300 students, successfully handling approximately 10,000 student inquiries each semester with an impressive 97% accuracy rate.
Integrating VR and AR in education revolutionises the learning experience by immersing students in tailored virtual environments and enhancing interactions in real-time. Educators can adapt content and interactivity to accommodate individual learning styles, fostering engagement and personalisation.
This approach offers several benefits:
Incorporating virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in education, along with adaptive learning systems, promises ongoing advancements, complementing the transformative impact of AI in education.
Student admissions
AI can also improve the student enrolment process, significantly reducing the administrative burden and making the process more efficient. This includes:
AI technologies can also help you enhance your marketing efforts, attracting more highly relevant potential students and teaching candidates.
Soccialy (now branded as Gaia) provides an innovative AI-powered platform that assists schools in targeting high-quality passive candidates. This approach reduces the overall cost per application, shortens the time to hire or enrolment, and broadens the pool of diverse candidates. Moreover, our platform delivers data-driven insights into market trends, candidate preferences, and the effectiveness of different recruitment strategies.
Book your free personalised demo to discover how Soccialy (now branded as Gaia) can support your recruitment and admission processes.
AI is making its way into various industries, improving business processes and helping them operate more intelligently. But is this where its potential ends? Certainly not. AI is bound to continue evolving, opening up limitless possibilities for future applications.
Advanced automation and analytics
The future of AI in business points towards more advanced automation of routine tasks and addressing knowledge gaps. Additionally, AI will provide predictive and strategic insights to support decision-making. Its most significant impact is likely to be seen in data-intensive and highly regulated sectors such as banking, finance, insurance, and healthcare, and in improving educational equity and access.
AI-powered technologies, like computer vision and natural language processing (NLP), which include speech and text recognition, enable businesses—including those in education technology (EdTech)—to automate tasks that were once handled by human workers. This leads to greater efficiency and reduced operational costs. AI also brings new dimensions to automation through robotic and intelligent process automation (RPA and IPA).
Workforce transformation
AI is transforming the workforce by changing how administrative processes are handled across industries. It allows organisations to personalise experiences by using data for more targeted interventions. Tasks ranging from workflow management to cost control and recruitment become more efficient and less biased through AI automation. Institutions that embrace AI improve their agility, better meet their stakeholders’ needs, and prepare for an AI-driven job market, creating a more dynamic and future-ready workforce.
Education transformation
AI and adaptive learning technology are significantly reshaping the future of education.
AI-driven learning tools are becoming more common in education, supporting personalised learning paths and helping educators enhance their teaching methods. By 2025, it’s expected that 47% of learning management tools will incorporate AI capabilities, driven by the increasing integration of EdTech.
Key changes in the education sector include the adoption of AI-driven adaptive learning technologies, personalised feedback platforms, automation in student enrolment and teacher recruitment, and engaging learning methods like gamification, Virtual Reality (VR), and Augmented Reality (AR).
As AI technologies and big data analytics continue to grow in education, educational institutions and other organisations need to prepare for these changes and offer the necessary upskilling for their staff.
For schools and colleges, an easy way to start using AI is by integrating it into their recruitment processes. An excellent starting point could be Soccialy (now branded as Gaia), an innovative AI-powered platform that elevates social media recruitment to the next level.
Get started with a free demo today!
Adaptive learning is an innovative approach to education where technology creates a personalised learning environment for each student. It harnesses data and advanced algorithms to dynamically adjust the content, pacing, and assessments to optimise learning outcomes and create a more effective learning experience.
An adaptive learning platform is a sophisticated digital system that leverages learning analytics and artificial intelligence to craft a highly individualised educational journey. It's akin to having an intelligent mentor who continuously adapts the course material and resources based on each student's progress. The platform ensures course attendees achieve better results by providing an adaptive learning experience.
Adaptive learning operates by constantly evaluating a student's knowledge level and fine-tuning educational content in real time. It utilises complex data analysis and AI algorithms to identify strengths and weaknesses. Then, it tailors lessons, quizzes, and learning materials to cater specifically to the students’ unique needs. This approach optimises the overall educational experience, making it highly effective and shaping the future of learning we are stepping into.
Adaptive learning delivers numerous advantages, including personalised instruction that caters to your learning style and creates a completely personalised learning experience. It significantly enhances learning strategies, boosting engagement and allowing for more efficient use of study time. It empowers students to progress at their own pace, filling in knowledge gaps and improving information retention. Moreover, it provides educators with invaluable insights into each student's progress, enabling them to provide more targeted support.