As educators, we know the potential that artificial intelligence (AI) has for our profession. Generative AI, a subset of AI that can generate new and original content, serves as a technology that extends our capabilities as educators and learners. Its ability to quickly transform and transfer information exceeds previous limits, albeit with some initial apprehension on the part of educators. However, by employing generative AI, educators can explore aspects of education that were once challenging or inaccessible, accelerating the pace of learning and allowing students to gain confidence in uncharted territory.
As generative AI gains ground in the private sector, its impact on institutions is bound to be transformative. By automating tasks that humans may not excel at, generative AI empowers people to focus on their strengths, such as creativity, empathy, and engagement. This shift in focus encourages adaptability and flexible thinking, employee skills that are crucial for organizations to thrive in today’s dynamic business environment.
For educational institutions, embracing generative AI not only prepares students for a future in which it will play a central role in their workplace, but also opens doors for highly adaptable employees who can confidently navigate uncharted territory. Institutions should seize this opportunity by collaborating with AI experts, starting with small-scale implementation and integrating generative AI where it can have the most significant impact. For higher education, this means fostering critical thinking and soft skills development in students to ensure they are prepared for the unknown challenges of tomorrow. EdSurge recently had the opportunity to speak with Jenny Maxwellboss grammar for educationabout how generative AI is revolutionizing the world of education.
EdSurge: What is generative AI in the context of educational experiences?
Maxwell: Generative AI is really a technology that allows us to increase our capabilities as human beings. Most educators are in the space because they love to teach and help, and they love the process of transferring information. Generative AI excels at this transfer process, allowing it to happen at a rate none of us have ever seen. And because of that, educators can go into these conversations with a lot of trepidation and fascination.
Imagine, as an educator, you’ve gone from point A to point B riding a beautiful cruiser bike through the French countryside, and you’re telling people how great it is to ride this bike. Generative AI is an electric bike. You will still be able to see the French countryside. You have yet to understand how to ride a bike. There are still balance and switch components. But generative AI allows you to experience parts of the French countryside that you might not have been able to enjoy because you were cycling uphill or didn’t have the cardiovascular capacity to enjoy the distance.
Generative AI in the context of education means we are driving things forward. I think the reason we’re interrupting things is because we’re trying to make things better. we are trying to go faster. We are trying to improve the human experience. And by doing so, we’re unlocking more unique human capabilities.
We see that there has already been adoption of generative AI in the private sector. What do you think about how generative AI will reshape how organizations work?
Generative AI truncates some things humans aren’t necessarily good at so we can spend more time where we excel: being highly creative, highly empathetic, and highly engaged with the experience around us. Generative AI is reshaping these organizations to have highly adaptable employees with flexible thinking. We are seeing that the companies that adapt are also the ones that survive; there is this adaptability quotient. What will we do as a society to be better prepared to handle the next big thing?
What does this mean for today’s students?
I hope it gives students the motivation to unlock opportunities for the rest of their lives. Education is not just the means to get a job; the educational experience is really about developing flexibility and metacognition. The fact that they become these powerful thinkers and get creative and build a network of colleagues, both students and teachers, can inspire them to come up with really great ideas that they can put to good use after college. That’s exciting!
Institutions must prepare students for a new world of work in which generative AI will play a central role. How could they address this?
First, institutions need to work with a partner who can ensure security parameters are in place. For Grammarly, this is essential. So I suggest that institutions just get started; this great journey begins with a single step. Pick passionate people who are excited about this change and driven by innovation, and ask them to help reach out to various departments to bring colleagues along along the way. Change is hard. Find your catalysts on campus and look to embed generative AI in places where it will have the most significant impact.
There is no shortage of conversations happening right now in educational institutions. There is this fear that institutions may have analysis paralysis around generative AI. But I’m very optimistic that universities are getting on board, quickly implementing these tools and adjusting policies to meet students where they are now.
Generative AI is not perfect. Grammarly helps guide students toward the responsible use of this technology to enhance their education.. We want students to be prepared for an evolving workforce. We want them to be proficient in things that haven’t been created yet, and that comes down to interpersonal skills. How do we create highly empathic adults who are highly adaptable? We may not be able to train them for technology that doesn’t exist yet, but we can train them to be flexible and willing to try and even fail.
What do you see as the biggest benefits and challenges to incorporating generative AI into the educational experience?
An immediate benefit for students is understanding topics quickly and finding a starting point. This can speed up the rate at which students begin a task and also speed up the transfer of information from educator to student. I think of my electric bike analogy. Students have the ability to use generative AI as a tool that allows them to explore areas in which they might not otherwise be confident. There is untapped potential for people to get passionate about new territories.
One challenge with generative AI is that we don’t know exactly what we don’t know about it. Clearly, we need to be integrity conscious and make sure we don’t trust everything that’s generated. We need handrails for the electric bike. But I think we will see teachers and students coming together on this journey. I think teachers will be seen more as course trainers than knowledge holders. I believe that this change is overdue and will be welcomed by both students and institutions.
Every faculty member I have met who is truly passionate about what they do tells me that they have experienced these transformative moments in their careers when they see this journey in their students. This tool will help bridge the perceived power dynamic between who has all the information and who doesn’t.
Grammarly is committed to innovation and responsible development of AI that encourages students to apply academic integrity that facilitates learning and education. The following resources explore Grammarly’s approach to generative AI in education and how institutions can navigate this new technology.
