AI in our schools – a dystopian nightmare or a bright future?

New technologies in the classroom are giving students a more personalised path to learning. Initial results are promising but, Sonia Klug asks, what are the risks and benefits of letting machines teach the next generation?

(Illustration by Michael Wheeler)

In 2018, then education secretary Damian Hinds challenged the tech industry to launch an education revolution for schools to reduce the burden on teachers. There is now a myriad of online resources used in UK schools. Particularly notable are some AI-powered platforms, which have been shown to improve exam results, but few studies on how they affect children in the long-term have been done. Are we holding our children back by our hesitation to adapt to these platforms, or are we putting them at risk by exposing them to powerful technologies without rigorous testing?

The Keys Federation Academy Trust has been rolling out Century Tech, an AI-powered teaching and learning platform, across their four primary schools. Every pupil starts using this online resource from age seven. Teachers use the system to assess students’ abilities, pinpoint misconceptions and gaps in their knowledge, and identify their individual learning style. The Century software uses deep learning – a type of AI where machines learn by experience and acquire skills with minimal human involvement – to get to know each pupil so it can tailor content, including micro-lessons, called “nuggets”, to each student’s needs.

It’s too early to compare end-of-year results but the initial findings are very promising. Sharon Bruton, CEO of the trust, says schools have seen a 30 per cent increase in performance and students became faster at answering questions after using the platform, speeding up from 4.35 to 0.94 seconds. Additionally, the data shows that the more time the pupils spend on the platform, the higher their attainments. The system also helps to stretch higher achievers, as well as keeping absentees up to date.