In an age where artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionising education, it’s not hard to imagine a future where algorithms become our primary teachers. In a charter school in Arizona, they are giving two hours of AI-only academic lessons for grades four to eight students, with some to no help from teachers or administrators. Another school in Texas is also seeking to go entirely AI-driven, removing all teaching roles, as they deem that AI can effectively teach the standards and curriculum. 

With numerous schools and organisations adopting AI, is there still a place for teachers? Can a machine motivate a child to aspire for greatness as many teachers have? Can an algorithm offer support to a struggling student or trigger a pivotal conversation?

AI brings undeniable assets to many learning environments such as:

• Automating repetitive tasks, such as grading, scheduling, providing regular progress updates with parents, and managing student records, enabling instructors to focus on teaching and having more hands-on time with learners.
  
• Employing AI-driven data to customise learning depending on learners’ pace, needs, and preferences, resulting in increased engagement and motivation. 
  
• Providing real-time performance tracking and data-driven insights, offering learners immediate feedback and identifying those who still need improvements.
  
• Generating lessons, activities, discussion prompts, and presentations using AI-powered platforms based on simple keyword suggestions.

These capabilities make the learning experience more effective, engaging, and accessible. However, they are only part of the equation. True learning goes beyond data. It’s built on experience, empathy, and the kind of wisdom only humans can offer. Here’s why no algorithm can replace that.

1. Empathy and Emotional Intelligence

AI systems are trained based on data and behavioural patterns, but it lacks the capacity to truly comprehend and analyse complex emotional cues. It cannot detect when a learner is frustrated, struggling, or discouraged, or when they need sensitive and adaptive emotional support.

Good educators thrive from this situation! When they sense something is wrong with their students, they try to adjust their tone, pace, or teaching styles. They provide one-on-one sessions to help students understand why they are failing and offer kindness and encouragement. Their very presence can be enough to keep learners motivated.

2. Intuition and Judgement

AI can generate and recommend learning content in an instant, however teachers utilise their intuition to pivot in real time. For example, when they notice some learners are lost or uninterested, they have the ability to adjust explanations, switch strategies, or trim down training materials mid-lesson. They know when to go deeper, slow down, or change materials based on students’ experience level, feedback, and performance.

3. Cultural and Contextual Sensitivity

AI are typically trained on global data sets, which may overlook localised histories, values, idioms, and cultures. This can result in a misunderstanding of cultural norms, inappropriate responses to learning content, and learners feeling disconnected and excluded. On the other hand, teachers often share or have a deep understanding with the cultural backgrounds of their students, allowing them to tailor examples and stories within the content materials while also fostering inclusion and belongingness within the learning environment.

4. Motivation and Inspiration

Learning isn’t just about consuming information, it’s about being challenged, inspired, and transformed. AI can help with learning by delivering content and tracking progress and performance, but it cannot believe in students like teachers do. Stephen Hawking once credited his math teacher for igniting his passion for mathematics and science, while Bill Gates often recalls how his teachers’ encouragement helped shape his confidence and ambition. These stories remind us that behind many great minds is a teacher or a mentor who saw their potential before anyone else did. AI may assist, but it’s the human connection that truly ignites a learner’s purpose and power. 

The Real Deal: AI + Humans = Possible Learning Collaboration

Amidst the discussions surrounding AI taking over teaching roles, the true power is found in collaboration. AI is only a tool, not a teacher or a mentor. When AI is used effectively, it enables educators more time to concentrate on their main areas of expertise, which include mentoring, fostering deeper conversations, establishing relationships, and helping students navigate all of these real-world challenges. Educators play an important role in building ethical and inclusive AI tools by applying their pedagogical experience. At the same time, they are there to ensure that the AI-driven tools and content we utilise are efficient, meaningful, engaging, and suited to the needs of various learners.

Overall, as technology becomes more embedded in education, the true challenge is not about choosing between AI and teachers, but whether we can preserve the soul of learning. Learning is more than just content delivery, it is also about instilling curiosity, assisting people in finding meaning in what they learn, and promoting lifelong learning. The future of learning should not be defined by how quickly AI can deliver information, but rather by how well we employ that technology to promote human growth, connection, and purpose.