How AI Will Change Education

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses how technology is transforming the education sector, which has seen little change over the past century. It explores the potential of AI to revolutionize education through personalized learning, teacher tools, and alternatives to traditional college. The article also examines the challenges and business models in the education technology space.

🙋 Q&A

[01] Personalized Learning and Tutoring

1. How can AI help provide personalized learning and tutoring?

• AI can be the "great equalizer" in education by providing affordable, personalized learning paths for every student, effectively lowering the student-to-teacher ratio to 1-to-1.
• Personalized learning powered by machine learning and generative AI can give students individualized instruction at an accessible price, helping to level the playing field compared to expensive human tutoring.
• AI-powered personalized learning can "flatten the curve" by improving individual instruction and shifting the average knowledge level up, while reducing the delta between high-performers and average-performers.

2. What are the key AI-powered tools that can enable personalized learning?

• Applications that can learn a learner's strengths and weaknesses in real-time, then adapt personalized learning paths to maximize that learner's knowledge.
• AI "agents" that can take actions and aid in personalized instruction, similar to the different levels of AI capability described by OpenAI.

[02] Teacher Tools

1. How can AI be used to augment teachers in their work?

• AI can be used to generate lesson plans, grade assignments, and assist teachers in various aspects of their work.
• Large language models trained on language-intensive industries like education can be well-suited for these teacher-focused AI applications.

[03] Alternatives to College

1. Why are alternatives to traditional 4-year college programs gaining popularity?

• College is becoming increasingly unaffordable, with tuition costs growing 8x faster than real wages. This is making the ROI of a college degree unclear for many.
• Enrollment in 4-year college programs has been declining for 11 straight years, as more students see value in skilled trade programs, apprenticeships, and employer-sponsored job-specific learning.
• College is viewed by many as more of a "rite of passage" and signal to employers rather than just about the education itself.

2. What are some of the emerging alternatives to traditional 4-year college?

• Skilled trade programs and vocational schools, which are seeing increases in enrollment as students seek specialized skills without the high cost of a 4-year degree.
• Apprenticeships, workforce development programs, and employer-sponsored job-specific learning.

[04] Final Thoughts: Business Models and Why Education Matters

1. What are the challenges with existing education technology business models?

• Many EdTech companies rely on thin Learning & Development (L&D) budgets at enterprises, which are often cut first in downturns.
• Selling into schools and school districts is challenging due to long sales cycles, unpredictable decision-makers, and tight budgets.

2. What are some promising business models for the future of education technology?

• Direct-to-learner products, particularly in tutoring and personalized learning, that avoid the challenges of school/district sales.
• Employer-paid models for lifelong learning and workforce development, where companies see the ROI in terms of improved worker retention.

3. Why is the transformation of education important?

• Education is directly tied to economic opportunity and mobility, but has historically been gated by access. Technology can help broaden access to quality education.
• The companies that define the next generation will be those that make life better for the next generation, and education is a key pillar for this.