# To AI or not to AI By [Mel Arif](https://paragraph.com/@melarif) · 2023-01-21 --- The potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to revolutionize the field of education has recently become a topic of debate among educators, especially after schools started banning ChatGPT. The use of AI is not a new idea in education. Educational technology solutions have created software that uses algorithms and student assessment data to create learning pathways for students to practice and develop their skills across different subjects. While some argue that AI has the potential to enhance the learning experience and improve efficiency, others warn of a decline in critical thinking or learning skills. To gain a better understanding of the potential impact of AI in education, I spoke to educators and asked [Twitter](https://twitter.com/maleha_arif/status/1614162531081224194?s=20&t=x1qQ3z2I-aSktn-rCyQd1w) and [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/maleha-arif-08393486_hey-everyone-if-you-could-please-take-a-activity-7022030208727695360-oje1?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop) for their thoughts on the use of AI tools in secondary schools and universities. The poll results and comments revealed that while many educators had not yet been exposed to AI tools such as ChatGPT, they were generally open to the idea of incorporating AI into their classrooms. However, some educators also expressed concerns about the impact of AI on skill mastery and academic integrity. One of the key ways that AI can help educators is by personalizing the learning experience for each student. This can be achieved through the use of machine learning algorithms that can analyze a student’s progress and adjust the curriculum and teaching methods to better suit each student’s needs. This could also lead to a more effective and efficient learning process, as students will be able to learn at their own pace, focus on the areas where they need the most help, and learn in ways that meet their needs and interests. For example, in a science lesson, students might be presented with different ways of learning about red blood cells traveling the human body. Student A might choose the option of going on a virtual tour of the human body to see how red blood cells travel to each organ, whereas Student B might choose to speak to an expert, and Student C might prefer to read text. ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/704411da9c20dc3f3b6e8c1d916d4a5a9e3ec4c23c3aab8c01ee9217fa381d2c.png) Another way that AI can help in the field of education is by providing innovative teaching methods. AI-powered virtual tutors can provide personalized instruction and feedback to students, which can help them to better understand and retain the material. These tutors can be used in the classroom to reteach, reinforce and support students if they are struggling with a particular topic when the teacher is working with other students. They can also work with students in small groups to extend learning. Additionally, AI can also be used to create interactive and immersive educational experiences, such as virtual and augmented reality simulations, which can help to engage students and make learning more interesting. The advancement of technology has also led to the emergence of organizations such as [Ed3DAO](https://www.ed3dao.com/), who are onboarding educators to web3, hosting conferences in the metaverse, and offering microcredential courses (Ed3DAO). However, on the other hand, we have schools in New York banning ChatGPT due to the fear of cheating (Rosenzweig-Ziff). Students are learning about these new technologies through social media, influencers, and friends, so shouldn’t schools be preparing to teach them to use these in a safer and ethical manner? [https://opensea.io/assets/0x2953399124F0cBB46d2CbACD8A89cF0599974963/102421431948255459200474514765017983195974311468146446940228363763473453154305](https://opensea.io/assets/0x2953399124F0cBB46d2CbACD8A89cF0599974963/102421431948255459200474514765017983195974311468146446940228363763473453154305) While academic integrity is a serious issue, there are ways to prevent it. AI tools are already in the process of creating ways to identify whether a text was generated using AI similar to a plagiarism tracker. AI tools like ChatGPT are also unable to write good quality creative writing pieces such as poems and narratives, yet. In the process of drafting this article, I asked ChatGPT to generate an article for me but I quickly determined that the output was lacking specificity and originality. I had to make several revisions and eventually rewrote the entire text to represent perspective and show my voice. However, when I tested ChatGPT’s proofreading capacity, it was able to effectively identify and correct grammatical errors and improve the overall coherence of the text. The visual components in this article were generated using DALL-e, a text-to-image generating AI tool. The generation of a suitable image took time, multiple attempts, and modifications to the initial prompt. It is therefore worth noting that the utilization of AI tools in the creative process requires a certain degree of experimentation, practice, and adaptation to effectively achieve the desired outcomes. In the case of this article, up to ten revisions were made for some art. Educators also need to see explore AI can help improve the efficiency of processes by automating tasks such as grading and administrative work. This can free up teachers’ time and resources, allowing them to focus more on instruction time. Teachers can use AI to create lesson plans, individual educational plans, intervention plans, differentiated activities, projects, rubrics, and more that would otherwise take days. Furthermore, teachers could also train their students to use some of these tools to self-assess and review their work to make improvements. ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/c1d488bbd419dd3f57ce2d5ef47f055865f87b566cf59be69260d7467d16db0c.png) AI is not a solution for all the challenges facing education today and it is also not to be used in each and every lesson. As AI continues to evolve, it will be crucial for educators to stay informed and adapt to new developments in order to make the most of this powerful technology as well as make sure the implementation of AI in education is done in an ethical and responsible manner. The key to the successful implementation of AI in education will be a balance between embracing new technology and maintaining the human element that is vital to effective teaching and learning. **Resources** Ed3DAO. Ed3DAO Introduction. _Ed3DAO Whitepaper._ Accessed 21 Jan, 2023. Rosenzweig-Ziff, Dan. “New York City Blocks Use of the ChatGPT Bot in Its Schools.” _The Washington Post_, 5 Jan, 2023. Accessed 21 Jan. 2023. --- *Originally published on [Mel Arif](https://paragraph.com/@melarif/to-ai-or-not-to-ai)*