Experts weigh pros and cons of AI in education

Educators and experts from China and abroad have highlighted both the transformative potential and profound challenges artificial intelligence brings to education, stressing the need to balance technological advancement with ethical guidance and human-centric values.

At a recent education forum in Fuzhou, Fujian province, authorities and scholars shared insights on how AI is reshaping teaching and learning. They agreed that while AI can democratize access and personalize instruction, it also risks deepening inequalities, reducing critical thinking and eroding human interaction if not carefully managed.

The consensus underscored that AI is a powerful tool, but its direction must be guided by human agency and a commitment to nurturing well-rounded, ethically grounded individuals.

Ruan Shiwei, vice-chairman of the Fujian Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, proposed moving beyond technical exploration to emphasize widespread application for educational equity; beyond passive use to encourage diverse participation in developing educational tools; beyond tool dependency to focus on personal development and nurturing creativity; and beyond technological neutrality to prioritize value guidance.

He said embedding correct worldviews, outlooks on life and values into AI tools can serve comprehensive human development.

Guo Yike, provost of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, argued that AI has disrupted education by breaking down knowledge barriers, shifting the focus from "what to learn" to "why learn" and "how to apply".

He outlined four necessary evolutions: from knowledge transmission to competency cultivation; from uniform teaching to personalized learning; from passive reception to active exploration; and from mechanical learning to nurturing human care and creativity. He envisioned a future of symbiosis where "humans teach machines, and machines teach humans".

Yang Zongkai, former president of Wuhan University of Technology, said that teachers currently face four major hurdles: not knowing how to use, unwilling to use, unable to use, and afraid to use AI.

Pilot programs are addressing these through training, curriculum planning and case guidance. The educational paradigm is shifting toward personalized "perception-control" learning, facilitated by conversational AI agents, he said.

Andreas Schleicher, director of education and skills for the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, said AI can enable personalized learning and empower teachers, but may also foster cognitive laziness and widen disparities.

He stressed the importance of balance and maintaining closed-book exams for foundational skills while designing open-book tasks for higher-order thinking. Teachers should lead in using AI tools and assess learning processes, not just outcomes, with a focus on critical thinking and creativity, he said.

Sobhi Tawil, director of the future of learning and innovation at UNESCO, addressed the disruptions, dilemmas and directions of AI in education. While generative AI is redefining learning, knowledge and intelligence, it also brings ethical, environmental, privacy and academic integrity risks.

The direction, he urged, must be human-centered, using AI to strengthen education in service of human development.

Brian Wong, assistant professor in philosophy at the University of Hong Kong, warned that AI could exacerbate monopolies, inequality and the erosion of human connection. He proposed that educators shift from teaching "knowledge" and "application-knowledge" to "human-knowledge", fostering interpersonal and ethical competencies.