Equity: Advocating for AI in Education

AI is a controversial topic, especially in the realm of education. It can be easily used to cheat on exams and homework. It can prevent young students from developing key skills if they use it irresponsibly. There are also the highly publicized cases where it is said that AI has helped people plan crimes, or has even driven them to do so.

With that information, it is easy to understand why parents and educators would have reservations about incorporating this technology into the learning of young students. That being said, it is increasingly clear that AI is here to stay. It is being applied in a large range of fields including information, professional/tech. services, health care, finance and many more. So, if AI is here to stay and young students will undoubtedly have access to it, is there a reason to not introduce them to the technology early? If this introduction can be made and they gain a high level of literacy with the technology, can we see a world where kids use AI in ways that can supplement their education?

Think of this. In the 1970's and 1980's, many teachers viewed the development of the handheld calculator to be a threat to basic arithmetic skills. Today, you would not think anything of a child using a calculator at school. Using AI in beneficial ways like tutoring, creating study plans or extra practice problems is no different. Yes, it makes your life easier, but so does every other useful technology we use today.

In addition, the widespread use of AI in and out of the classroom presents immense untapped potential for creating educational equity. It is estimated that only two percent of children in the United States receive high quality tutoring. Additionally, only about 12% of high-achieving, low-income students reported that they received specialized help from their schools with college applications, signaling a need for access to those resources. While AI should not be the only solution presented for this, it provides itself as a free, 24/7 tutor for the millions of children who do not have access to external tutoring or college application prep services. It would also be a useful tool for ELL or first-generation students who may require translation services outside of school hours.

Yes, AI has the potential to be a detriment to education, but the potential benefits far outweigh the costs. Educators have been hesitant to incorporate new technology at schools for years, but there is no path to educational progress without these new technologies. For the millions of students who are being failed by the education system in the United States, it provides itself as a free tool that can meaningfully enhance their education

if applied properly. Students deserve to be aware of every tool at their disposal. This is why I am advocating for AI in education.