AI future virtual teachers or another tech fad? Once upon a time Steve Jobs envisioned a technology that could make him Aristotle's favorite student. His dream was to capture someone’s “underlying set of principles” to guide future generations, a prophecy that generative AI has brought closer to reality. But as much as AI tools like ChatGPT can imitate the responses of historical figures, achieving the depth of a real teacher is still a far-fetched dream.

AI tutors have generated plenty of buzz lately, with big names like Sam Altman and Sal Khan suggesting that AI could change the methods of children's learning, Axios reports. Altman, Open AI’s CEO, predicts that soon, students could access “ personalized instruction in any subject, in any language,” directly from virtual tutors. Khan Academy founder Sal Khan is already embracing this vision with Khanmigo, an AI study partner that helps students solve problems without directly giving answers.

Egypt is getting on the bandwagon soon, as the Education Ministry said earlier this week that it is working on an integrated education platform that utilizes AI and features educational content as part of its efforts to wean students off using external sources.

AI advocates see this as a game-changer, believing it can tackle education’s ongoing struggle with personalization. Instead of trying to teach 25 students the same day, AI could adapt to each student’s learning style, speed, and preferences. It’s beneficial for families and teachers working to support different learning needs or languages, as seen with Buddy, which helps kids practice English through conversations.

There’s a fair amount of skepticism about AI’s potential to fill educational gaps. Personalized learning tech has been tried before with mixed results, and some educators remain unconvinced that AI alone can deliver on the promise of one-on-one, human-like guidance. Robbie Torney, an AI program manager at Common Sense Media and former educator, recalls a similar hype cycle in the mid-2010s around “ student-centered ” and “ blended learning.” Many of these initiatives promised transformation but fell short of lasting change, leading some to worry about AI’s potential for overpromising.

There’s also the issue of regulation and ethical use. Tech aimed at children faces high probing, especially regarding voice data collection and exposure to screen time, as Ivan Crewkov, Co-founder and CEO of Buddy points out. A lot of teachers and parents are afraid that could make existing differences in learning styles worse or weaken student-teacher relationships if not implemented carefully.

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