The debate surrounding the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in education has intensified, particularly following concerns raised by the New York City education department about the potential negative impacts of AI tools like ChatGPT. While the largest public school system in the United States banned the chatbot due to worries regarding its security and accuracy, some institutions, including Franklin School in Jersey City, New Jersey, have embraced AI as a valuable educational resource. This contrasting approach highlights two divergent philosophies on how AI could either bridge or exacerbate educational inequalities.
Contrasting Approaches to AI in Education
Opened in 2022, Franklin School has integrated AI tools into its curriculum, viewing them as a means to enhance the teaching process rather than replace educators. According to Will Campbell, head of Franklin School, the aim was to enrich student learning while creating efficiencies for teachers. “We have incredible teachers in our building. How can we give them more time to be even better for our students?” Campbell explained.
The school initiated early AI experiments, including the development of custom chatbots trained on approved course materials. Faculty members found that delegating routine administrative tasks to AI freed them to focus on instructional support. Assessments were also redesigned to allow students to leverage AI for tackling complex problems, emphasizing critical thinking.
At the university level, Ethan Mollick, Ph.D., a professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, has become a leading advocate for AI in education. In January 2023, he added explicit guidelines for AI use to his syllabus, permitting students to utilize the technology across all classes. Mollick’s research indicates that AI holds significant potential as a teaching tool. He stated, “We have some early evidence that it’s an incredibly powerful teaching tool.”
The Tutoring Gap and AI’s Potential Solutions
Despite the enthusiasm for AI, a significant challenge remains in providing equitable access to tutoring. Research shows that personalized tutoring is highly effective, yet many families cannot afford it. A study by the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2024 found a direct correlation between socioeconomic status and access to tutoring services. The University of Southern California reported that only about 15% of students receive any form of tutoring, with fewer than 2% accessing high-quality assistance. Among students with lower grades, fewer than 4% received effective tutoring.
AI could potentially help bridge this gap by offering tutor-like resources accessible from home. Advances in natural language processing have enabled AI tools to respond conversationally to student inquiries and explain complex concepts. As these models evolve, students could receive additional support, such as uploading photos of their work or sharing live video for assistance. This capability could prove particularly beneficial in subjects requiring detailed feedback, such as writing and coding.
Michael Hilton, Ph.D., of Carnegie Mellon University, noted a decline in office hours as more students turn to AI tools for assistance. “It’s much more of this ‘teach them how to fish’ paradigm in office hours,” he commented, suggesting that students can now seek out higher-level learning opportunities during these sessions.
Despite the promise of AI, concerns remain regarding its potential to widen existing inequalities. Aly Murray, founder of the nonprofit Upchieve, which provides free online tutoring, expressed caution. “I think it is possible that it could widen the gap because if we find that it’s really the most affluent students who are really good at taking advantage of an incredibly powerful tool like ChatGPT, then they could be accelerating faster than low-income students,” she said.
Moreover, Upchieve’s research found that engagement with their AI tutoring chatbot was low, with only 20% of students trying it and just 3% participating in AI-only sessions. In contrast, 92% of sessions involved only human tutors, indicating a strong preference for human interaction.
The importance of social interaction in learning is echoed by Rachel Slama, Ed.D., who pointed out that AI struggles to replicate the warmth of human connection. She stated, “Learning is a social process.”
While AI can offer support, it is crucial to recognize that individualized human tutoring remains the gold standard. Experts emphasize the need for a balanced approach that integrates AI without compromising the vital role of human educators.
As AI technologies evolve, educational institutions must grapple with the question of equity in access. Educational leaders, such as Dylan Arena, Ph.D., from McGraw Hill, highlight the necessity of maintaining human involvement, suggesting that AI should augment, rather than replace, the human element in teaching. “If we could produce an AI tutor for the poor kids and then let the rich kids have human tutors, is that an equitable solution?” Arena asked.
As AI tools like Khan Academy‘s Khanmigo are deployed in classrooms, there is hope that these technologies can help close educational gaps. Positive results have been reported, particularly for English language learners, who feel more comfortable interacting with AI for clarification and support.
The future of AI in education remains uncertain, with many advocating for its potential to enhance learning while cautioning against the risks of deepening inequalities. As the landscape evolves, the challenge will be to harness AI’s capabilities in ways that provide equitable access to quality education for all students.