AI Assisted Learning: A tool or a threat?

Abstract

Both Web 4.0 and EDU 4.0 are malleable terms, that while difficult to define, set the basis for contemporary learning environments. Within these boundaries, AI (Artificial Intelligence) and AIEd (Artificial Intelligence in Education) have further complicated modern pedagogy with an ever-increasing list of potential benefits and pitfalls. This paper argues that to utilize AI and AIEd to its fullest potential, it must first be understood before it is implemented, and that while the increased presence of AI in our daily lives may be inevitable, the path it follows is not predetermined. This paper briefly explores the history of AI and AIEd technology and assesses not only the potential benefits of AIEd and how they may be fully realized, but also three areas of concern; privacy and data use, inherent bias, and the role of the educator in the future. Through flexible, cyclical models and careful consideration, this paper argues that AIEd will not automatically lead to a phasing out of teachers in learning environments, but, if due care is made, the potential benefits of AI technology can be forged in a way that they improve the working and learning experiences for all stakeholders.