Trend 01
Artificial
Intelligence
Foe to Friend
Artificial intelligence (AI), once viewed with skepticism, has gone from perceived adversary to trusted ally in education. Its ability to automate mundane tasks and assist in creative processes like a skilled co-pilot has earned acceptance and appreciation.
In one of our 2023 trends, we highlighted that with the introduction of powerful and accessible new AI tools, a profound societal impact was on the horizon, similar in scale to the introduction of the calculator or the World Wide Web. Major companies such as Google have introduced AI technologies like Gemini, while numerous startups like Perplexity and Anthropic have also raised hundreds of millions to billions of dollars to drive innovation in the AI space.
As we predicted, in the last 12 months, we saw rapid advancements in generative AI, pushing the boundaries of innovation in virtually every possible field. In the education sector, we saw a shift from skepticism to acceptance, largely fueled by these rapid advancements.
2024 promises to be a year of even faster development, innovation, and acceptance as AI continues to weave itself into the fabric of education.
In a recent survey conducted with Sora Schools families of middle and high school students, we observed notable preferences regarding AI integration in education:
76%
of Sora families expressed strong desire for AI tools and programs as part of their student’s education. 14% were neutral and less than 10% disagreed.
75%
of Sora families felt that overall, AI will improve the quality of education for all students, free up teachers from administrative tasks, and allow them to focus more on students.
51%
of Sora families felt comfortable having an AI tutor supplementing a human expert. Other families were skeptical about how an AI tutor will evolve and change student and teacher relationships. Families strongly felt that a human teacher is indispensable.
70%
of Sora families are comfortable with the idea of AI tools generating customized lesson plans and educational content tailored to students’ needs and interests.
Source: Sora Schools Survey, 2024
Incorporating AI into my child's education will not only enhance his learning experience but also equip him with vital skills for their future. We are living in an era where AI and technology play crucial roles in various sectors. Familiarizing my child with AI will prepare him for a future where these skills will be indispensable.
Parent at Sora Schools
“Advancements in AI this year will extend well beyond text generation and chat-based interactions. New multimodal models, adept at integrating text, images, videos, and audio, will empower educators to engage students across diverse abilities and contexts. For students, the availability of new tools will empower them to actively engage in their learning by creating and doing, rather than focusing on reciting, memorizing, or reformatting existing information.”
Dave Brown, Head of Design, AI Service and Generative AI, Amazon
Embracing AI gives educators the power to help personalize learning - Imagine a virtual tutor that tailors every lesson to your strengths, weaknesses, and preferred learning style, constantly adjusting difficulty and content based on your real-time performance. This adaptive learning approach maximizes engagement and knowledge retention, ensuring that no student gets left behind. AI can also identify at-risk students early on, providing them with targeted support mechanisms like personalized practice exercises or emotional assistance chatbots, preventing learning gaps and fostering emotional well-being.
Apps like Khanmigo and Quizlet are using AI to make studying easier—with personalized tutoring, automatic flashcards, spaced repetition, and lesson plan creator tools.
AI's influence extends far beyond personalized learning. It acts as a bridge, breaking down language barriers and making quality education accessible to students from diverse backgrounds. AI-powered translation tools empower students to learn without the limitations of language, promoting inclusivity and global collaboration.
But perhaps most importantly, the impact of teachers and the depth of learning is augmented by AI. It allows teachers and students to have additional time, focus, and energy to be trained on the most creative and impactful work. This should lead to increased creativity, more insightful problem-solving, and high levels of mastery. To be clear, these results will not come from machines replacing human thought or energy, but from freeing us to focus on highest-order thinking.
We have expanded on the impact of AI on the work of faculty in another trend: Beyond the Cape: Unleashing the Superhero Potential in Every Teacher - where we will see teacher and administration-focused innovation and adoption of AI in 2024.
Uncharted Waters
Of course, this exciting journey is not without its challenges. We must be vigilant in ensuring that AI algorithms are free from bias, as even subtle biases can have severe, unintended consequences. We have to focus on educating our children and young people to understand and use AI safely – with freedom and responsibility, we create hope.
AI in education needs to be grounded on an ethically-sustainable foundation. This approach guarantees that rather than posing threats, it provides safe opportunities for enhanced learning experiences.
As we look ahead in 2024, AI in education is poised to move from the realm of experimentation to widespread adoption. By addressing the ethical, privacy, security, safety, and inclusiveness concerns of AI in Education, we can unlock its immense potential to personalize learning, democratize access, and empower the next generation of critical thinkers and creative problem-solvers.
“For the first time in human history, thanks to AI, question 'how' has become irrelevant. The future is now shaped by 'what' and 'why' - a shift that calls us to prepare our children to not only ask the right questions but to dream up solutions that will change society for the better. We must guide them becoming decision makers who not only love what they do but also care deeply of who they do it for.”
Risto, Chief Product Officer, Sora Schools
Our view at Sora
Technology and AI are integral to Sora’s DNA. We’ve invested in AI tools to not only enhance students’ learning experiences but also to unmoor our teachers from administrative tasks, freeing up valuable time. We have also designed an AI-driven “Journey Builder” tool for students to help them choose their learning experiences and individual study projects at Sora based on their interests and academic goals - this tool is transformational for students to take ownership of their educational pathways.
