2030-2040 will be a golden era for learning!

Like it or not, AI is taking over tasks at a high pace. Some love it, others fear for their career or even to find meaning in life.

I believe increased focus on learning will be one of the positive byproducts of AGI, and I don’t believe that teaching will be left to AIs alone, but I’ll come back to that.

Let’s step into 2035, where both AGI and probably ASI have been achieved, meaning AI can do pretty much everything a human can, actually an AI can do everything the combined human intelligence can. Cures for most diseases have been found, and the aging process has been slowed significantly if not stopped.

However, we are not yet immortal as we can still be killed by violent crime, car accidents, and of course wars. Studies seem to indicate that there is a negative correlation between education and intelligence on the one hand and violent crime and fatal accidents on the other side.

In a world where the primary risk of dying comes from meaningless violence, investing massively in education will make a lot of sense.

Furthermore, we will have the resources available to do so. An ASI could of course serve as a very good teacher, individualizing the method of learning for maximum impact. Further, many office jobs will have been eliminated by ASI, so there should be plenty of people with time to teach if they are willing to do so.

But where do we stand now?

In many countries, schools have remained more or less unchanged for decades. I had the opportunity to visit the high school I graduated from about 30 years ago. The furniture in the classrooms was the same, except of course, they looked more dated today than I remember.

I also went through some of the books that were going to be distributed to the students, and I swear some books looked exactly the same as the ones I read 3 decades ago.

At the same time, the idea of a college degree being a good investment of money and time is under attack from prominent people that influence especially the younger generations such as Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Gary Vaynerchuk, Mark Cuban, and Robert Kiyosaki. They all argue that the road to success does not go via a long education.

It is obvious that AI and later AGI will impact the way we learn. AI creates a ton of opportunities in terms of learning more effectively, but it does not have to mean the end of human teachers. I see a few trends emerging as we come nearer to AGI.

Learning more hours during the day.

Let me start with a short story, the other day I went to the Zoo with my family. The learning is limited to the small info sheets outside the confines of each animal. While informative, they of course leave many questions unanswered. However, if I feed the Chat GPT app with a picture of the animal, from the fact sheet, I suddenly had unlimited access to knowledge about the animal. My family could literally ask the app anything about the animal and get a detailed answer.

An expert tour guide may have been able to do the same, and a person could even add anecdotes about the particular animal that would not be available on Chat GPT. The point, however, is that a personal tour guide is not available and therefore the app was a good substitute.

Which leads me to the second point

More 1 to 1 tutoring

Research has consistently shown that one-to-one education is far superior to the traditional one-to-many classroom approach. Individualized instruction allows for the customization of learning pace, style, and content according to each student's unique needs and abilities. A meta-analysis by the U.S. Department of Education found that students who receive personalized learning perform better than 98% of those who learn through traditional methods. This highlights the effectiveness of tailored education in enhancing student outcomes.

1 to 1 teaching has proven to be 1.5 to 2.5 times more effective than classroom teaching, so obviously driving the teacher ratio down seems beneficial. AI should provide the opportunity to get this ratio down significantly in at least 2 ways. As AI removes more office jobs, more people could share their experiences and perspectives as teachers.

Secondly, an AI can support the learning on a 1 to 1 basis, in areas where this type of learning is both more beneficial and fun than the typical teacher-to-student teaching method.

Mentorship will explode

Most successful people in part attribute their success to some mentors and teachers that have helped them develop into the person they are today. A few examples include Larry Page and Sergey describing Andy Bechtolsheim as their mentor, Mark Zuckerberg talks about Steve Jobs mentoring him, and finally, Bill Gates has been mentored by Warren Buffett.

Imagine a world without mentoring; perhaps we would not have Apple, Google, Microsoft, etc.?

I believe the future will be full of mentoring. People will have more time freed up to mentor other people, and AGI/ASI can at the same time serve as a very powerful mentor. You can even imagine how an AI can simulate human mentors, if they give their permission.

In other words, when you work on your finances you ask for a mentor such as Warren Buffett, while if you are trying to write a book perhaps you can choose Stephen King or J.K. Rowling as your AI mentor.

The Role of AI Assistants in Education

Imagine a world where your smartphone evolves into an omnipresent AI assistant, capable of supporting your educational journey 24/7. This assistant wouldn't just respond to queries but would actively listen and understand your learning habits, preferences, and challenges. By doing so, it could offer real-time assistance, explanations, and resources tailored exactly to what you need at any given moment.

Examples of AI in Education

1. Language Learning: Your AI assistant could detect when you're struggling with pronunciation or grammar in a new language. It could then provide instant feedback or suggest exercises tailored to your current level, much like a personal language tutor.
2. Mathematics Mastery: For students grappling with math concepts, the AI could present interactive, step-by-step problem-solving guides, adjusting the difficulty level based on the student's progress and areas of difficulty.
3. Science Exploration: Imagine a student curious about the stars. Their AI assistant could guide them through a personalized astronomy lesson at night, using augmented reality to map constellations in real-time, turning curiosity into an immediate learning opportunity.

The Evolution of AI Assistants in Education

• Early Stages: Initially, digital assistants on smartphones and computers began to help with simple educational tasks, such as searching for information online or setting study reminders.
• Present: Today's AI-powered educational platforms offer more personalized learning experiences, but they often require active engagement from the learner to seek out resources.
• Near Future: AI assistants will become more proactive, identifying learning opportunities in everyday activities. They will analyze the learner's environment, activities, and questions to offer customized learning experiences seamlessly integrated into daily life.
• Long Term: Eventually, AI assistants will predict future learning needs and prepare learners in advance. They will connect learners with resources, mentors, and experiences that align with their evolving interests and career aspirations.

As AI assistants become increasingly sophisticated, they will offer unparalleled personalization in education, making the concept of a universal curriculum obsolete. These intelligent systems will understand each learner's unique journey, making education a more effective, engaging, and lifelong process. For SMEs in the educational sector, this presents an opportunity to innovate and offer products and services that cater to this new era of personalized learning, thus contributing to the cultivation of a more knowledgeable, skilled, and adaptable society.