In 2023, Governor Greg Abbott signed House Bill 2060, establishing an advisory council for the usage of Artificial Intelligence in Texas education. According to Programs, a cybersecurity education and career guide, there’s been a significant increase in the usage of AI, with 30% of K-12 students using AI tools at least once every day. The report also states that 53% of K-12 students use AI to help with homework, while 51% of university students use AI to save time. Mr. Neama Monajami serves as the Senior Manager at Lockheed Martin over their AI Infrastructure and Security department, and has been in the technology and infrastructure space for over 20 years.
“I see AI as a powerful ‘force multiplier’ for students,” Mr. Monajami said. “It’s really a new form of critical thinking. AI is only as good as the person using it.”
Monajami designs and oversees the complex systems that allow their engineers and developers to work efficiently on AI and Machine Learning capabilities for the defense industry. He spends his time designing system architectures to make sure they are secure, and able to handle the needs of Lockheed’s diverse capabilities.
“The real development happens when you use AI to sharpen your own critical thinking, not replace it,” Mr. Monajami said. “We are definitely in a learning phase right now, where technology is advancing so quickly that adaptation and utilization is trying to find its place.”
According to the University of Texas at Dallas, the university will receive $4 million over the course of the next four years from the U.S. Department of Education to help teach high schools and universities the proper way to use artificial intelligence. According to Gaurav Shekhar, the associate dean of administration, student success and alumni relations in the Naveen Jindal School of Management, it’s fundamental to understand AI to keep up with the evolving technology for high schools and universities.
“For students, it’s like having a personal tutor available 24/7 to help explain a complex math problem or a historical event in five different ways,” Mr. Monajami said. “However, the risk is that it can become a shortcut that bypasses the struggle of learning that we have all endured throughout our educational journey.”
Khan Academy, a nonprofit organization that provides free education worldwide, developed a website called Khanmigo, an AI teachers’ assistant and tutor meant to tailor to the needs of both teachers and students. AI is making its way into the classrooms as teachers find new ways to help their students and use the tools at hand. AP English III teacher Gerad Jackson uses Class Companion, an AI powered website, to help his students better their writing and English skills.
“I’ve only used Class Companion a handful of times, but I do like the tools that it gives,” Mr. Jackson said. “[Class Companion] is a particularly helpful tool when students are learning new styles of writing by giving them proper feedback.”
According to the American College of Education, opponents state that the increase in AI usage within schools leads to security and privacy concerns, less human interaction and a potential bias in algorithms. Classrooms consist of constant human interaction, whether solving conflicts or having a basic conversation, AI isn’t able to accomplish emotion and mentorship that teachers provide for their students.
“[AI] affects students learning in my classroom in both positive and negative ways,” Mr. Jackson said. “The most glaring negative effect is how AI impacts students’ learning, and it becomes a crutch students rely on to avoid learning.”
Opponents of AI in schools argue that students may begin using AI as a way to get around truly learning and understanding their work. They also speak about the decrease in human interaction when AI is involved, because artificial intelligence isn’t able to do the basic actions a teacher does to build collaborative relationships with students. Junior Manaly Tuy states that she’s used AI before to help with her work, but she tries her best not to depend on it too much.
“I think AI can be both challenging and helpful,” Tuy said. “[AI] is able to help me understand assignments, but it makes learning much harder when I rely on it too much instead of thinking for myself.”
Although, proponents state that artificial intelligence benefits teachers by reducing the time spent on tasks that normally take their time away from their students, leading to more time for students to build good connections with their teachers. According to Seeds of Success, a mental health resource website, AI should prioritize long-term well-being, and it should be used to reinforce teachers and workers instead of replacing them.
“AI is very convenient for students if they use it correctly,” Tuy said. “Despite the fact that it does not help us fully comprehend the subject we’re learning, it’s helpful, especially with the amount of work we are expected to do.”
Artificial intelligence continues to grow, but it’s still new. Many people fear that AI will soon take over education, but forget that it can only do so much. As AI develops, it will be able to focus on reducing teachers’ tasks, not replacing teachers completely.
“Don’t be afraid of technology—focus on being the person who knows how to direct it,” Mr. Monajami said. “Use it as an accelerated form of learning and development, but never forget the basics of the technology came from human intelligence.”
