Research has demonstrated that when used effectively, advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have the potential to enhance teaching effectiveness and improve student outcomes, thereby revitalizing education systems to better equip students for the demands of the 21st century.

The impact of AI integration is already noticeable in various sectors, with education beginning to harness its capabilities. While early forms of AI like expert systems and basic machine learning have been used in education for over six decades, recent advancements are introducing significant changes.

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Advanced AI models like ChatGPT, Synthesia, Midjourney, DALL-E2, and Bard can perform various tasks such as writing essays, creating images, explaining complex topics, and providing step-by-step guidance for solving math problems.

These capabilities often surpass those of traditional educational technology or "edtech" systems. However, the rapid deployment of generative AI in education without proper planning, safety measures, governance, and equity frameworks can amplify existing risks and create new ones, as highlighted in a 2024 report by the World Economic Forum.

Generative AI can mimic human logic, writing, and creativity, challenging the relevance of some skills and principles currently taught in classrooms, including basics such as writing, grammar, logic, and discourse.

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Dieudonné Mushimiyimana, a 25-year-old student at the University of Rwanda, has been using AI models like Copilot and ChatGPT to grasp complex topics outside the classroom.

"These tools provide comprehensive content and save me time when revising."

"They normally offer more information than what I could gather by digging through course material or online content," he said.

Education 4.0: preparing for the future with AI

The world is entering a new era, one with key transformations needed in childhood education to meet future demands and improve educational outcomes. The World Economic Forum defines Education 4.0 as the teaching and learning of abilities, skills, attitudes, and values suited for the future.

Education 4.0 focuses on four essential skill sets for the future: global citizenship, innovation and creativity, technology, and interpersonal skills.

It also emphasises four types of learning experiences: personalised and self-paced, accessible, problem-based and collaborative, and lifelong and student-driven learning.

Abdulrahman Niyoniyeze, founder and CEO of SmartClass Rwanda—a platform that fosters student interaction across different levels and schools—sees significant advantages in AI.

"Previously, students in our project had to wait for teachers to respond to their questions. Now, AI provides immediate answers and a wider range of responses. For a single question, AI can present five different correct options, whereas a teacher might not be able to cover all those possibilities in real time," he explained.

Niyoniyeze emphasises the responsible use of AI, stressing that these tools should enhance understanding and knowledge, not replace traditional exams.

"My recommendation is to limit AI use to younger children, perhaps from kindergarten to first grade, to primarily train their foundational comprehension skills," he said.

Supporting teachers through AI augmentation, automation

New developments in AI present an opportunity to redefine the nature and quality of work in education. According to research by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with Accenture, large language models (LLMs) could impact 40 percent of all time spent on tasks.

This includes teaching, where some tasks may be automated, while others are augmented or enhanced by LLMs.

Théogene Murangira, a lecturer at the University of Rwanda’s College of Science and Technology, offered insights on this development.

"AI is changing education by providing new opportunities for progress and creativity. For instance, it helps us create teaching materials and share information, allowing teachers to automate tasks such as lesson planning, verifying facts, and grading tests,” he said.

Murangira also highlighted potential challenges. "When misused, AI can lead to shortcuts that undermine learning. Students must use AI tools not just for convenience but to acquire knowledge and skills.”

Tasks most likely to be automated by LLMs are those that are routine or repetitive. In education, up to 20 percent of work time spent on clerical activities and administrative tasks, such as assessing attendance, enrollment, and data analysis, could be automated.

Tasks benefiting from AI augmentation emphasise analytical and problem-solving skills.

These tasks, making up 8 to 20 percent of work time in the education sector, include lesson planning and evaluating student performance.

However, tasks requiring interpersonal interactions, such as face-to-face communication and physical interactions with young learners, are likely to remain unaffected by LLMs.

The focus will shift to human-centric aspects of teaching, such as refining pedagogy, providing social-emotional support, individualised instruction, and engaging with parents.

Addressing concerns, prioritising equity

A 2023 global survey of over 17,000 individuals revealed that 61 percent are either uncertain or hesitant to trust AI systems, with 71 percent expressing concerns about potential risks.

While AI tools yield powerful results through data collection, they also raise valid apprehensions about safeguarding student data and privacy.

Educators themselves harbor concerns about AI's potential to disrupt teaching jobs, emphasising the need for careful management to ensure teachers remain central to education systems, supported by AI tools, along with sufficient reskilling and upskilling opportunities.

Conversely, worries persist regarding the risk of exacerbating inequality for those who may miss out on AI's benefits in education. With over 2.6 billion individuals globally lacking basic internet access, there's a pressing need to prioritise educational equity.

Without such efforts, the advantages of AI systems may disproportionately benefit already privileged geographies and communities, further widening the education equity gap.

There are other concerns about the consequences of inaction regarding AI integration in education systems. Synthetic content could potentially fuel misinformation and disinformation campaigns.

Particularly vulnerable are children and young learners, highlighting the necessity of AI literacy programs to equip them with critical thinking skills to analyse content and discern the adverse effects of false information.

Rwanda’s National Artificial Intelligence Policy outlines a roadmap for this journey, emphasising the need for investment in human capital from an early age. With adaptations to school curricula and the creation of a dedicated "Teacher Corps,” the country is paving the way for AI integration in education.