From chalkboards to chatbots

AI is transforming learning processes but it is important to ensure that teachers remain integral to this shift.

As a new academic year begins, the landscape of education in India – and indeed across the globe – is undergoing a profound transformation. A significant driver of this change is the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into our classrooms. What once seemed the domain of science fiction is now an everyday reality in schools, colleges, and learning platforms.

I’ve had a front-row seat to this transformation, both as an educator and as an observer of how students and teachers interact in real-world classrooms. We are witnessing not just a technological evolution, but a fundamental shift in how we approach learning, teaching, and assessment.

AI is not here to replace teachers; it is here to empower them. Traditionally, a large chunk of a teacher’s time was consumed outside the classroom – designing lesson plans, framing question papers, grading assignments, and managing administrative paperwork. AI tools have begun to lift these burdens. Intelligent platforms now help teachers create curriculum-aligned lesson plans, generate adaptive question banks, assess student work with objectivity, and analyse learning outcomes. This shift enables educators to focus on what matters most: engaging meaningfully with students, nurturing creativity, and providing personalised attention.

The key lies in remembering that technology must work for teachers – not the other way around. AI should amplify the human aspects of teaching, not diminish them.

Despite these advancements, one enduring truth remains: no machine can replicate the emotional intelligence, mentorship, and intuition that teachers bring to the classroom. Especially during adolescence – a period of identity formation, emotional upheaval, and self-doubt where students need trust, empathy, and human connection.

Shows such as Adolescence offer a glimpse into the fragile complexity of these formative years. A teacher noticing a student’s withdrawal, encouraging a child after failure, or simply offering a listening ear plays a role that no algorithm can fulfill. As we embrace AI, we must ensure that teachers remain central, not sidelined.

Perhaps the most promising frontier lies in AI’s ability to personalise education. Imagine platforms that adapt to a child’s learning pace, offer real-time feedback, and identify strengths and weaknesses with uncanny precision. This is already unfolding in different parts of the world and holds tremendous promise for Indian students.

For children with special needs, AI-powered tools such as voice-to-text converters, visual learning aids, and adaptive content are game-changers. In rural and underserved areas, AI can democratise access to quality education by translating content into local languages, offering supplementary tutoring, and providing resources that were once out of reach.

Globally, advanced countries have raced ahead, integrating AI into classrooms. India, by contrast, is still in the early stages of this journey. Currently, AI in Indian education is largely used to support teachers. But the next phase will see AI deeply embedded into the learning process itself. A large part of AI applications in education will hover around this personalised adaptive learning to assess each student’s understanding and tailor lessons accordingly.

Services such as academic performance prediction and individualised education plan analytics can be provided as a support system for higher grades. Eventually, AI will become deeply integrated with the learner and not just the process of teaching. Students will learn to build and interact with intelligent systems from a young age. This is especially crucial as India positions itself as a digital economy leader.

Ethics and equity

With opportunity comes responsibility. The deployment of AI in education must be guided by core principles of inclusion, equity, and ethics. Policies must ensure that AI is a public good – accessible to all. We must also tread carefully with technologies such as facial recognition and brainwave monitoring. While they promise insights into engagement and attention, they raise serious ethical concerns around privacy and consent. Robust regulatory frameworks, transparent data use policies, and human oversight into AI’s functioning must be non-negotiable.

As this new academic year begins, schools across India will continue to explore and expand their use of AI. AI can – and should – become a trusted teaching partner, easing workloads, enriching learning, and making education more responsive to every child’s needs. But the heart of education remains unchanged. It is the spark in a teacher’s eye, the warmth of a word of encouragement, and the patience to help a student grow. AI cannot replicate these. It should only make space for more of them.

The future of education is not about man versus machine. It is about man with machine. And in that union lies our greatest opportunity – to make learning more human, more inclusive, and more impactful than ever before.

(The writer is general secretary, Managements of Independent CBSE Schools Association – Karnataka)