The explosive prevalence of ChatGPT has stirred controversies in the pedagogical community about the meaning of learning and education. Many advocate for the rise of self-learning in the age of AI, while others fear that AI may discourage students from taking on the rewarding challenges of gaining new knowledge. If AI can now do students’ homework and lecturers’ curriculum, should we need to learn and teach like before?

What to gain and beware of embracing AI

The skyrocketing number of users in a short time of launch proved the indisputable benefits of AI. Given its notable text and image analyzing and generation features, AI increases efficiency and productivity through task automation, enabling humans to concentrate on more complex and creative work. With its ability to fasten data analysis and processing, AI supports better and more informed decision-making. Moreover, AI drives innovation across various sectors, from healthcare diagnostics and treatment to prompt engineering, creating new business and employment opportunities for the next generations. In education and research, AI can bridge the gap of knowledge accessibility and foster educational opportunities for many students, teachers, and researchers in different countries and social backgrounds through active learning and self-improvement.

Alongside the advantages of AI, many significant challenges are confronting the world of work, data security, education and research, and policymaking. While AI creates new jobs, it can also displace workers, especially in industries heavily reliant on repetitive tasks. Furthermore, there’s the potential for AI to be used in ways that could infringe on people’s privacy and personal data, including the creation of sophisticated phishing attacks or deepfakes used for fraudulent or malicious purposes. AI systems can extend or even amplify biases in their training data, leading to unfair or discriminatory outcomes. Once humans become overly dependent on automated systems, overreliance on AI can lead to losing skills and critical thinking abilities. As a result, there has been a surge in new regulation and governance responsibilities to address the novel and societal issues AI presents.

The transformative roles of learners and educators

With AI taking over across all sectors, finding a balanced approach to harnessing its benefits while mitigating potential drawbacks has become essential. This involves continuous ethical oversight, transparent and inclusive policymaking, and fostering a culture of lifelong learning to adapt to the changing technological landscape.

In a recent conversation on the Thanh Nien Podcast, Prof. Truong Nguyen Thanh, who used to work at the University of Utah, USA, and Prof. Scott Fritzen, President of Fulbright University Vietnam, also discussed the new role of students as learners, and universities, as educators, in this contemporary AI-driven society.

Prof. Truong Nguyen Thanh: How should first-year students think about their future while figuring out what and how to learn in the age of AI?

Prof. Scott Fritzen: I think no one has an exact answer to this question, me included. AI is developing comprehensively and will bring changes to the labor market. Students preparing to enter university should consider how the field they choose to study might change. Students and parents should also prepare themselves with critical thinking skills and learn how to upgrade their capabilities proactively. Since no one can predict which professions will disappear in the next seven years, developing the ability to adapt rapidly to changes is crucial.