As technology continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, it’s no surprise that industries across the board are starting to feel the impact of automation and artificial intelligence. Education is one such industry at risk of being disrupted by generative AI. It could disrupt the traditional revenue models for educational businesses completely. But those who embrace the technology to add more value to the ecosystem can convert the emerging threat into an opportunity to flourish. Let’s see how GAI impacts the education sector and how businesses can navigate the Generative AI Disruption.
The education system has been the cornerstone of our society for centuries. Yet, today we find ourselves at a crossroads where students and parents lose faith in the system for reasons such as;
The education system we have today was designed around the time of the Industrial Revolution, and it places a heavy emphasis on standardized testing and memorization to measure IQ. However, times have changed, and we need to update the education system to prepare students for the future workforce, where they must compete or work with intelligent machines. This situation demands students move away from a memorization-based traditional education system and towards a more effective education that creates long-term economic value.
Improving access to education is also critical to solving the global education crisis. Shockingly, there are currently 72 million children of primary school age who are not enrolled in school, which needs to be addressed urgently. By increasing access to education and ensuring that it is of high quality, we can help bridge the gap between the haves and have-nots and give more people a chance to succeed in life. We need to work towards greater equity in education and ensure that every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential, regardless of their background or circumstances.
In this socio-economic fabric, Generative AI has presented itself as a sensible tool for personalized education, offering a way to tailor learning experiences to each student’s unique needs and learning styles. By leveraging machine learning algorithms, generative AI can analyze data on a student’s progress and adjust the learning experience accordingly, helping them learn at their own pace and in their own way. This technology has the potential to revolutionize the way we approach education and make it more accessible and effective for all students.
However, this shift towards personalized education poses a significant threat to education businesses. For decades, these businesses have relied on selling pre-made educational materials, such as textbooks, tutoring services, and standardized tests. With generative AI, creating personalized educational content is becoming easier and cheaper, making it harder for these businesses to compete, especially when people lose faith in traditional systems.
Generative AI’s impact on students
Pros | Cons |
Access to personalized educational content | A potential decline in wide learning |
Faster access to information | Imperfect models can provide misinformation |
Speeds up learning | Potential misuse for cheating in tests |
Cheaper access to quality tutoring | Can reduce the amount of effort students put into their work |
GAI has the potential to completely transform the way education is delivered, from personalized learning plans to automated grading and evaluation systems. Without innovative strategies to adapt to these changes, educational businesses risk falling behind and becoming obsolete in a rapidly evolving tech-enabled education landscape. Some essential strategies are;
Switch from curriculum-driven practices to value-driven
One way educational businesses can overcome the threat of Generative AI is by personalizing the learning experience for each student. Personalization can be done by creating customized learning paths and assessments considering the student’s strengths, weaknesses, and preferences. To add more value to the students, institutions can emphasize critical thinking skills in the curriculum, enabling students to analyze, evaluate, and apply information for real-life scenarios rather than memorizing data. When the curriculum delivers tangible value to students, they will lean towards using Generative AI tools to supplement their education.
Personalize curriculum and offer adaptive learning
Personalizing the learning curriculum can offer several benefits to students, such as meeting their interests and learning needs and providing a tailored educational experience. The first step is collecting data on students’ learning interests and learning styles through assessments, surveys, and feedback. Analyze the data to identify patterns and trends to structure the generic curriculum and individual interests for student profiles. Personalized learning paths that align with the student’s learning objectives and pace can be developed based on the student’s profile. This process may sound too hectic, but it is automatable, thanks to GAI. Adaptive learning is an approach that adjusts the learning path based on the student’s performance and progress. By offering adaptive learning, education businesses can ensure that students are challenged appropriately and energized.
Embrace GAI-assisted training and learning evaluations.
GAI-assisted training and learning evaluations can help optimize the learning experience and improve educational outcomes. By using fine-tuned GAI models to analyze large amounts of data, educational institutions can gain valuable insights into student learning patterns, preferences, and areas of strength or weakness. GAI-assisted learning evaluations can also provide educators with more accurate and comprehensive assessments of student progress. GAI can provide a more holistic view of student performance by analyzing data from multiple sources, including traditional tests and quizzes, as well as interactive learning activities and simulations. It can help educators identify gaps in knowledge and skills and areas where students excel, allowing for more targeted and effective teaching strategies.
Use GAI to streamline administrative operations.
Delivering tangible value to students can help regain students’ and parents’ faith in the education system. Education businesses can use GAI to do much more than reinvent their training programs. One value center is the automation of administrative tasks. In the previous article, we discussed the non-obvious use cases and business growth opportunities of Generative AI. The key opportunities mentioned in the article include generative process automation, Business process automation, prompt engineering for task accuracy, domain-specific process automation, process automation with multi-modal pipelines, and business-specific Generative AI and language models.
Expand the market with AI-assisted low-cost online training programs
One promising strategy is to expand the market with AI-assisted low-cost online training programs. These programs can offer a more flexible and affordable alternative to traditional classroom-based education while leveraging the power of GAI to optimize the learning experience. By using GAI algorithms to analyze data from online learning activities, educational institutions can gain valuable insights into student learning patterns, preferences, and areas of strength or weakness. Low-cost online training programs can help educational institutions expand their reach and tap into new markets. By offering affordable and flexible learning options, institutions can attract a wider range of students, including those who may not have had access to traditional education due to geographic or financial barriers. This can help institutions increase revenue and stay competitive in a rapidly changing education landscape.
Below are some use cases and ideas that educational businesses can use to leverage Generative AI and provide tangible value to their students:
The importance of developing innovative strategies to future-proof educational businesses against the threat of GAI disruption cannot be overstated. By doing so, businesses can ensure that they remain relevant and competitive in a rapidly changing education landscape while also providing students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in the 21st century.