Teaching and Learning in the Age of AI

“One child, one teacher, one pen, and one book can change the world.”— Malala Yousafzai

Teachers have always been at the heart of learning. Florence Nightingale, Maria Montessori, Rabindranath Tagore, Swami Vivekananda, Savitribai Phule, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam—history is filled with visionaries who transformed education and society.

In Indian tradition, the Guru occupies a revered position—not just as an instructor but as one who dispels ignorance with wisdom. The phrase “Matha, Pitha, Guru, Deivam” (Mother, Father, Teacher, God) places the teacher next only to divinity. As India observes Teachers’ Day on September 5, it is an apt moment to reflect on how education is being reshaped in the age of artificial intelligence (AI).

AI and Academia: A New Frontier

Rabindranath Tagore once said, “The main object of teaching is not to give explanations, but to knock at the doors of the mind.” Interestingly, AI-powered learning tools do just that—stimulating curiosity and enabling exploration.
AI’s contribution to education is most evident in the way it personalises learning. Adaptive platforms allow students to choose courses suited to their interests, while offering real-time feedback and customised assessments. Beyond student engagement, AI is also proving to be a strong support system for teachers. By automating repetitive tasks such as grading, analysing student performance, and suggesting improvements in lesson plans or curriculum design, AI helps teachers focus on the human aspects of learning.

Accessibility is another area where AI is leaving a mark. For students in remote areas or those with limited resources, AI-powered platforms can bridge gaps and bring quality education to their fingertips. At the same time, conversational agents like ChatGPT have emerged as learning companions, sustaining curiosity, answering queries, and encouraging critical thinking. In this way, AI is not replacing teachers, but empowering them with new tools that strengthen their role as mentors and guides.

Utility, Uncertainty, and the Debate Around AI

The World Bank reports that 57% of students globally expect AI to be an integral part of their curriculum. While this shows the enthusiasm of learners, institutions continue to grapple with ethical, pedagogical, and disciplinary concerns.

History reminds us that new technologies always bring both excitement and anxiety. Mobile phones and social media were once considered major disruptions, just as AI is today. Roger Fidler’s concept of “technomyopia” explains this well: people tend to overestimate the short-term potential of a technology and underestimate its long-term consequences. Generative AI has created both extremes—utopian expectations among students and dystopian fears among parents and educators. The reality, however, lies in finding a middle ground.

As Fidler’s mediamorphosis theory suggests, the future of learning requires cohesion, where traditional teaching methods coexist with AI and immersive technologies such as virtual reality. This integration has the potential to make classrooms more interactive and engaging, offering opportunities not just to read or hear lessons but to experience them. A study by ‘YouGov’ in the UK found that the speed of feedback and the confidence boost it provides were among the main reasons students preferred AI support tools. Moreover, AI-driven customised learning models can make education more inclusive by addressing physical, financial, and social barriers, thus prioritising equity over equality in classrooms.

The Challenges and Concerns

Despite its promise, AI also brings several challenges. One major fear is that teachers may become redundant, especially as students increasingly rely on self-learning tools in the post-COVID era. Another pressing concern is the handling of sensitive student data, raising questions of privacy, security, and bias.

The risks of overdependence are equally significant. Excessive reliance on AI may hinder the development of critical thinking, creativity, and emotional intelligence—all of which stem from human interaction. While AI assessments can provide instant feedback, they lack the compassion, empathy, and emotional guidance that teachers bring into the classroom. The presence of a teacher cannot be replaced by algorithms or chatbots.
It is worth noting that AI itself is not inherently problematic. Today, smart boards, plagiarism detection systems, and platforms like Google Classroom already integrate AI features that enhance teaching. The real challenge lies in ensuring that AI is used responsibly and thoughtfully, without allowing it to overshadow the human essence of education.

The Way Forward: Blending Tradition with Technology

“AI may dominate raw cognition, but it lacks our emotional depth, moral reasoning, and ability to connect. Figuring out what questions to ask will be more important than figuring out the answers” – Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI urged to schools in his ‘ReThinking’ podcast discussion. 

The future of education lies in striking a balance between human wisdom and technological assistance. Ethical safeguards must be in place to address data privacy, transparency, and algorithmic bias. At the same time, teachers need adequate training and awareness to use AI tools effectively in classrooms. Policymakers must also recognise that AI cannot replace investment in infrastructure or solve systemic issues such as teacher shortages.
Globally, organisations like UNESCO have underlined the need for responsible adoption of AI.

Initiatives such as the Beijing Consensus on AI and Education (2019), the Recommendations on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (2021), and the Guidance on Generative AI in Education and Research (2023) stress that AI should support human decision-making and intellectual development rather than undermine it. These frameworks remind us that while AI can be a powerful aid, the human element of teaching must remain central.

Artificial intelligence is not an enemy of education—it is a ‘partner in progress’. Just as the ‘Guru’ remains central to Indian philosophy, the teacher must remain central in the AI era. Technology may provide knowledge at scale, but only teachers can instil values, nurture empathy, and shape character. As we celebrate Teachers’ Day, it is worth remembering that the future of education will be strongest when human wisdom and artificial intelligence walk hand in hand.