The Allure and Peril of Artificial Intelligence in Education
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the buzzword of the year. It’s no longer solely about the ambitious research program that originated with figures like Alan Turing. Instead, it’s a label for commercially promising applications derived from that research. AI, like “Electricity” in the past, has become a perceived technical necessity, a universal tool that must be integrated into our tasks to avoid stagnation.
The challenge is to resist the intellectual paralysis this image can induce. We must continue to think critically about our activities and envision improvements independently of the supposed absolute technique of our time.
This applies particularly to school education. Resisting the temptation to reduce all discussions about educational innovation to AI isn’t about hostility to technical innovation or a defense of some supposed natural intelligence. Rather, it’s because education, in general, and teaching, in particular, are inherently technical.
We must counter the current trend, a conformist and intellectually impoverished approach seen in educational authorities. Their obsession is with the place of AI applications in the practices of students and teachers. We should also avoid the demagoguery that targets a supposed lag of teachers behind their students in the use of AI.
The Importance of Original Thought
Consider the case of philosophy. Beyond the question of whether or not to use the word “intelligence,” philosophy teachers are concerned about the trivialization of generative AI applications. This isn’t due to a backward-looking hostility towards machines capable of producing dissertations like top students. Nor is it due to a lack of imagination or an excess of routine. It’s simply that they observe that a certain use of the tool prevents the very act of philosophical inquiry: elaborating a problem and exploring its different dimensions.
Enjoyed this post by Thibault Helle? Subscribe for more insights and updates straight from the source.
