PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
Dear
AAPBS Members,
The APU School of Management that I work for implemented an AI
system for the language education of the students. As business schools begin to
apply AI to various operations, they will likely find that there are still a
number of challenges to be resolved. Perhaps the most crucial point to address
is the way in which educational institutions can best prepare students for the
new technology-based world and the many disruptive technologies that will
change the way people work.It is essential that students understand that over time, more
repetitive and routine tasks will be automated and performed by artificial
intelligence, automation, and robots. However, there will always be roles
requiring creative skills, cognitive skills, and emotional intelligence skills.
Right now, many schools around the world are failing to teach students about
the kinds of skills that will and will not be needed in their future careers.
As artificial intelligence is applied to education, the best
results will come from combining the strengths of AI and human abilities. There
will never be a time when humans arent necessary for the tasks related to
education. For example, teachers will always play a crucial role in our
society, as we must never underestimate the value of human interaction and
critical thinking in the field of education.Even though algorithms can be helpful in guiding decisions, not
all educational activities should be run by robots and algorithms. The
assistance provided by AI algorithms should instead be leveraged to support the
creation of optimal learning environments. For example, AI-based learning
systems would be excellent tools for teaching rule-based subjects like foreign
languages and math. AI systems could significantly enhance the learning process
by providing greater precision and more accurate feedback, and would also allow
students to take the time to repeat study exercises as many times as necessary.
However, a teacher would still be needed to help explain whatever students
dont understand, like the nuances and exceptions to rules of languages, or how
to apply mathematical formulas to solve problems. The professors role would be
to guide, support, and mentor students, helping them to understand what theyve learned, why its important, and how it can be
applied in the real world.
A final major challenge in the implementation of AI technologies
is the oversight of data usage. There are difficult and important decisions
that will need to be made on every level of society about data ownership, as
well as the best ways to use data transparently and ethically.
Although AI offers many exciting developments, especially for
improving education around the world, we are still in the early stages of its
use. More experimentation and research is necessary for AI tools to be
successfully implemented throughout higher education institutions.
Personally, Id encourage more business school leaders and
administrators to become proactive in initiating pilot programs to test the use
of AI in various ways, while critically considering the results and the
ethical obligations that must be met along the way. Also, students should learn
about how algorithms use data to make decisions, and their input into the
design and development of AI systems should be invited and encouraged. Above
all, students should remain informed about the ways in which their data is
being used.
The discussion of whether we should implement AI for education has
been over. It is high time to share our ideas about how to utilize it.
Sincerely
yours,
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