"Many UK universities are struggling financially, but there’s one option that is rarely discussed: replacing lecturers with artificial intelligence (AI) machines. This might sound like sci-fi – after all, the lists of occupations vulnerable to AI rarely include teaching, which is still seen as too creative for computers. But a growing database of information harvested from online courses – clickstreams, eye-tracking and even emotion-detection – could make AI lecturers a common feature in the near future."—Source: The Guardian
WHY THIS MATTERS:
Sure, it can be tempting to tap into the power of artificial intelligence to automate, well, everything. But AI can be a slippery slope. Just because these algorithm-driven systems purport to identify human emotions doesn't mean they should be stand-ins for real human interaction. AI has a place in higher ed, for sure, but it should be implemented with caution and empathy.
