MADE FOR SMARTER LEARNING, BUT TEACHERS ARE IRREPLACEABLE

AI TUTORS

- ANINDITA ACHARYA

Last year, a World Economic Forum report highlighted how students at the only primary school in Baziyan Village, Hubei Province, China, were learning with the help of an AI tutor. With a shortage of quality teachers, the school turned to AI-powered education to bridge the gap.

Education is evolving fast, and technology is taking center stage. One of the most exciting developments? AI tutors. More students worldwide are now learning from AI-driven platforms that adapt to their abilities, interests, and learning styles. These tutors, powered by GPT and other AI models, adjust their pace to match individual students, offer extra support when needed, and even analyze learning patterns to improve engagement.

In India, platforms like Khanmigo, TutorAI, StudentAI, Teachmateai.com, Duolingo, and DreamBox Learning are gaining traction among students. But the big question remains: Can AI tutors replace teachers? Absolutely not.

For Raja McGee, Principal & Secretary, Calcutta Boys' School, technology is an aid and not the teacher. Also, as an educationist, he is concerned about creativity getting lost in the age of AI. "Every child thinks differently. But then, if things are going to be available at the click of a button, then where do you let the child think? This is my concern as an educationist. In the garb of advancement and giving the child the best, we are actually stealing away the human potential...the capability to think, the capability to react to the situation, and especially the creativity which is individual and extremely personal will go. So, you will not have variety," he said.