Mentored by Legends: How Generative AI is Transforming Education

“Our small group has decided that Kwame Nkrumah will be our mentor this week!” The students are creating a short video that explores the intersection of Afrobeats and the dream of pan-Africanism. To push their thinking on the topic, the students will be mentored by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) hologram of Ghana’s visionary first president trained on all the late leader’s seminal writings. The rise of ChatGPT and other generative AI solutions are helping us imagine a new future for learning and highlighting the limitations of our current system.?

Our modern mass education system, which groups kids by age and uses a uniform approach to learning and testing, was created only 200 years ago in Prussia. Prior to this, informal, individualized mentoring was seen as a superior form of education. In ancient Greece, for example, Socrates famously mentored Plato using questioning and debate for understanding. This type of education, however, is time-intensive, and, therefore, was reserved for the elite in this era. In the early 1800’s, however, as Prussia and other European nations entered the industrial era, they needed the masses to be skilled and well-disciplined to work the factories. To fit their economy, they sacrificed the individualization and engagement of one-on-one learning for the ability to scale education.?

Over the last 200 years, that model has been very beneficial in the effort to provide education for all, but in recent years, many have been calling the standardization of education outdated. Some argue it is disengaging for many learners of different abilities, learning preferences, and backgrounds. Others argue that standardization does not prepare young people for today’s dynamic knowledge economy. While we see alternative schools like Montessori schools or project-based schools like California’s High Tech High trying to overcome these shortcomings, they are mostly available for early ages and remain niche and expensive as they require a lot of individualized support.?

Enter generative AI, a disruptive force with the potential to change education along with so many other industries. The ripples of its disruption were seen almost immediately, with students turning to ChatGPT to write their book reports, history papers and so much more. In response, many public education systems banned students from using it. Other learning institutions, including some within Africa and the International Baccalaureate system , however, have embraced ChatGPT as a new tool that will drive innovation that students should gain exposure to. Ultimately, these disruptions and disagreements signal to me that we have entered a period where technology has pushed the world forward while education practices have not yet had time to adapt.?

So, how will schools adapt to the new age of Generative AI??

In the short term, we will see learning institutions shun or integrate generative AI into the various facets of the current education system. On the one hand, this will likely lead to a shift in assessment methods, with a return to in-person, pen-and-paper and oral tests. For institutions that outright ban AI, homework and other assignments likely turn into a game of cat-and-mouse, with students embracing the latest AI applications for their work and teachers scrambling to catch them. However, institutions that embrace AI will want to ensure their students know the benefits and limitations of these technologies. These institutions will encourage their students to use generative AI to push their creativity and challenge their assumptions with the goal of helping them develop critical thinking to know when to question an AI’s output.?

In the next 10 - 15 years, things get interesting! Generative AI has the potential to disrupt the modern education system because it has the potential to overcome the old tradeoff between individualized learning and scale. I anticipate four potential changes to how we conduct learning:

1. A return to the mentor system with engaging AI tutors. Imagine using VR and having Plato or Nkrumah being your mentor for the week as previously discussed. In a first step toward this, Khan Academy has just released its first version of a personalized, virtual tutor.?
2. Individualized learning where students can follow their passion. In such a diverse and dynamic world, we may not need everyone learning the same things as they progress. AI enables students to forge their own learning path. This also results in a more inclusive education system where fewer students fall through the cracks because of different learning styles, disabilities, or a lack of trained teachers in their area.?
3. The teacher as a curator of experiences. The teacher’s role shifts from communicating information to one focused on creating digital and in-person experiential learning and facilitating inter-personal interactions among students and with their communities. They would also act as coaches to students, providing social and emotional support. Lastly, provide a double check on the teaching of the AI.?
4. We move away from traditional assessments and grades. With individualized learning and areas of interest, students are measured by their strengths and what they can contribute to society, rather than by their weaknesses as often happens today. Test-taking becomes outdated. Rather, assessments now happen in real-time as students’ skills are measured when they build and create new projects as well as through conversations where they react to questions and new information presented to them.?

The potential of AI-driven education to revolutionize learning in Africa is particularly compelling, given the unique challenges the continent faces. With limited access to quality education, inadequate infrastructure, and a lack of trained teachers, many African learners are not receiving the education they need to succeed in a rapidly evolving world. By leveraging AI and emerging technologies, there's an opportunity to bridge the educational gap and provide more inclusive, personalized learning experiences. For instance, AI-driven tutoring systems can support students in remote or underserved communities, helping them overcome geographical barriers to access quality education. Furthermore, AI can be used to create locally relevant educational content, fostering cultural resonance, and promoting a sense of ownership in the learning process. By embracing these technologies and ensuring access across the continent, Africa can leapfrog current challenges and empower its youth to build a brighter future for the continent.?

As we venture into this era of uncertainty in education, we can expect experimentation and disagreements on the path forward. However, the power of AI to reimagine learning – by drawing inspiration from the past – offers immense potential for a more individualized, effective, and inclusive educational experience. Embracing change and harnessing the potential of generative AI will be crucial in shaping the future of education and preparing learners for the world that awaits them. And who knows, with AI revolutionizing education, perhaps we'll soon find ourselves grooving and marveling at the collaborative masterpieces of Nkrumah and the next generation of young, creative thinkers.?