Through the Looking Glass: Learning in 2030 – AI or AGI?

Artificial general intelligence (AGI) is a form of AI that can understand, learn, and apply its knowledge across tasks and domains. AGI can be applied to cognitive flexibility, adaptability, and general problem-solving skills. In this blog, we will discuss how AGI will affect learning and edtech products in 2030.

 

Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) as a Megatrend

Sam Altman first forecasted that GPT-3 and GPT-4 were just steps towards achieving Artificial General Intelligence. In his interaction with The Wall Street Journal, Altman claimed that “affordable, abundant energy and AGI” would matter the most to businesses in the next decade.

Elon Musk also expects usable AGI to hit the market around 2029. In the words of Ilya Sutskever, one of the founders of OpenAI, “In broad terms, AGI typically means artificial intelligence that matches (or outmatches) humans on a range of tasks. But specifics about what counts as human-like, what tasks, and how many all tend to get waved away: AGI is AI, but better.”

No one is debating if AGI is a possibility, but rather when AGI will be the norm, much like AI.

 

GenAI and AGI: Err… Not the Same Thing!

To begin with, AI and Artificial General Intelligence are not the same.

For one, the spectrum of work and open-ended learning for GenAI is limited.

GenAI works on pre-trained algorithms and the masses of data that have been annotated to aid the task. But it still needs a human in the loop to ensure the task is efficient, offer the next task, and discern AI bias. AI-enabled platforms can transform education – take a look at Carnegie Learning’s software, which improves student outcomes significantly – students who used the software scored an average of 63% higher on tests than those who did not.

AGI, on the other hand, is when the technology develops the capability to think and reason like humans. It then upskills itself and applies its knowledge to tasks. AGI focuses on creating systems that learn, reason, and execute in a human-like way.

 

AGI: Leaving a Deeper Impact than AI

AGI is not just meant for robotics. There is a lot that educational organizations can accomplish with AGI. As the next frontier of learning and education, here’s how AI has redefined education and how AGI can take it a step further.

1. Real Personalized Education for Higher Education

When it comes to personalized prompts and learning, AGI can develop personalized learning paths depending on learning abilities, interests, skill sets, positive outcomes, grades, etc. One excellent example is IBM Watson. It has been proven to be highly impactful, with students scoring better (average scores of 60% higher) on tests where they resorted to IBM Watson than those who did not.

2. Automation of Administrative Tasks

Another key area where AI is all set to make a marked difference is Administrative Tasks. With AI, it became possible for administrators to automate routine tasks and aggregate data for corroboration. In time, we can expect Artificial General Intelligence to create smarter and more intelligent learning platforms that respond to student needs in real-time. AGI will be able to carry out a multitude of tasks while at the same time, self-learning from it. It would streamline processes considerably, breaking silos and enhancing operational efficiency in educational institutions.

3. Create Adaptive Learning Environments

With AI, students can have better access to diverse learning needs like speech-to-text, text-to-speech, and other assistive technologies that support inclusive learning. How AGI will take it a step further will depend on how it allows for continuous adaptation. As a student progresses, the system ensures that the learning experience remains challenging and engaging, avoiding monotony or frustration.

It might be able to devise assessment strategies, tailoring evaluations to suit individual learning styles and preferences. Not just the administrators, board, and management, but even educators use AGI to identify trends, track student performance, and make informed decisions to improve teaching strategies.

 

Despite AGI, the Human Factor Remains Irreplaceable

The question most often being asked is whether AGI (when that comes about) will pose a threat to the human factor in education. As AI continuously learns and, in time, is expected to innovate as humans do, will it pose a threat to educators? Most likely not. While the canvas of AGI is indeed vast, and there is a lot that an educational organization can achieve by partnering with a tech company with ingrained AI capabilities, it still will not imply that a state of complete autonomy can be achieved with AI (even AGI). The human factor will remain paramount for decision-making and for ensuring the success of student outcomes, with AGI facilitating streamlined functioning of the multiple applications (thereby less noise and chaos) and carrying out the administrative tasks in a fraction of the time that it was done earlier. Further, as education evolves and becomes less linear, the student-teacher relationship is expected to evolve in a manner that will require more human involvement than less.