What AI Can't Do Yet: Exploring the Limitations of AI in Education

More education institutions continue to adopt AI. Teachers and school leaders must to be aware of its limitations to fully understand how these tools can help support their education goals. While AI has revolutionized various aspects of education, specific limitations remain. In this blog post, we take a closer look at the things that AI cannot yet do in education.

1. AI cannot replace the human touch in teaching

One of the primary challenges in AI is to replicate the social and emotional intelligence that humans possess. A teacher's job is not just to impart knowledge, but also to motivate and inspire students. Teachers understand and cater to the individual needs of their students, which cannot be replicated by AI. Classroom discussions and individual interactions are essential for students’ growth. While AI can give personalized study materials and assessments, it can't replace the human touch and the relationships built through teaching.

2. AI models are only as good as the data they are trained with

AI is only as good as the data it has been trained with. So, when we train AI on a specific dataset, we must ensure that the data is representative of the broader population. In education, this is particularly important when AI is used as a tool to evaluate students. If an AI tool is built with biased data, it could have harmful outcomes. For instance, if an AI tool is trained on a small number of students or a particular demographic, it may be ineffective when used for a more diverse group of learners.

3. AI can't think outside of the box

AI is programmed to solve problems in the most optimal way possible based on the algorithm (the set of rules or processes that a computer uses) and data it has been trained with. While this is helpful for repetitive tasks, such as grading, it's not useful for tasks that require creativity. Education requires students to develop these skills so they can tackle new problems and come up with original ideas. Teaching creativity is one of the most complex tasks for teachers as every student has a different way of thinking, and it is not possible for AI to achieve this task.

4. AI can't lecture

Another drawback of AI tools is that they cannot provide an engaging lecture. A teacher's delivery and presentation style plays a critical role in forming a student's opinions and knowledge on a subject. While AI could provide an adequate explanation of a topic, it cannot replicate a teacher's passion for the subject matter.

5. AI can't handle real-time feedback

Feedback is an essential part of the learning process. It helps students identify their strengths and weaknesses, and enables them to adjust their approach. However, it is not possible for AI to provide real-time feedback to students. Humans are better at understanding and interpreting the nuances of students' tones and moods in responding to feedback. AI is not as sensitive when it comes to social and emotional intelligence, which makes it challenging for it to provide accurate feedback.

AI has indisputably demonstrated its worth in education; its uses are only likely to increase over time. However, it is important to remember the significant limitations to its capabilities. Educators must understand if and when AI is appropriate, and where the limits of AI lie.