Augmented Intelligence
Augmented (human) intelligence refers to a synergistic relationship between AI and human intelligence — it can actually be found in the overlap of the two. AI is great in providing support for humans in computational areas such as predictive analytics, processing and filtering information, or even analytical calculations for a game of chess [1].
AI, namely ChatGPT, has inevitably found its way into education as well. Universities around the globe were forced to react to this new “helper” quite fast as a new way of studying, or rather achieving standardized goals, was quickly adopted by students (see [2] for Masaryk University's stance on using AI in teaching). This “new way of studying” also means a completely different approach to teaching. As Chris Dede, a Harvard senior researcher and the associate director of research for the National AI Institute for Adult Learning and Online Education put it:
The trick about AI is that to get it, we need to change what we’re educating people for because if you educate people for what AI does well, you’re just preparing them to lose to AI. But if you educate them for what AI can’t do, then you’ve got IA [Intelligence Augmentation]. [3]
AI can be used to execute those parts of someone's job that are predictable and routinely carried out. As of now, the only areas in which AI surpasses humans are quite narrow, like analytical tasks, but contextual and holistic thinking is still an exclusively human competence [1]. Delegating analytical tasks to AI can create more free time for people to explore other pursuits that require creative and innovative processes [3]. Students can use AI for, for example, processing large amounts of information or data, reading or source recommendations, or simply as a source of inspiration for a paper — and spend more time on more productive activities that actually sharpen their skills and deepen their understanding.
Educators can benefit from AI in a similar manner. AI can perform different tasks for the educator and function as an assistant that helps with grading or answers students' questions. The educator can then in the meantime explore their subject in a deeper manner, pay more attention to individual needs of students, or bring in “cultural dimensions and equity dimensions that AI does not understand and cannot possibly help with” [3].
As a last part of preparation for this article, I asked ChatGPT for positive and negative impacts of AI on education, so feel free to review its answers [4].
Sources
[1] JARRAHI, Mohammad Hossein, Christoph LUTZ a Gemma NEWLANDS. Artificial intelligence, human intelligence and hybrid intelligence based on mutual augmentation. Big Data & Society [online]. 2022, 9(2) [cit. 2023–04–12]. ISSN 2053–9517. Available from: doi:10.1177/20539517221142824.
[2] Masaryk University. Statement on the Application of Artificial Intelligence in Teaching at Masaryk University [online]. [Accessed 12 April 2023]. Available from: https://www.muni.cz/en/about-us/official-notice-board/statement-on-the-application-of-ai.
[3] ANDERSON, Jill and DEDE, Chris. Harvard EdCast: Educating in a World of Artificial Intelligence [online]. [Accessed 12 April 2023]. Available from: https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/23/02/harvard-edcast-educating-world-artificial-intelligence.
[4] OpenAI. Language model ChatGPT AI. Chat.openai.com. [online]. Conversation from 12.4.2023.
