In the second of our two-part blog series on how gen AI is reshaping communications, media and education, we explore its growing impact on higher education.
Today’s students are digital natives, and their attitudes towards teaching and learning have changed dramatically in the past few years - particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic shifted the focus to online teaching. Learners want high-quality, accessible, tailored content and digital resources available 24/7.
To meet these growing expectations, higher education (HE) institutions and educational publishers are harnessing generative AI (gen AI) for content creation, personalised learning and assessment.
Despite concerns about the potential impact on academic rigour and integrity, gen AI’s value in the global education market is predicted to increase by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 39.5% over the next decade, reaching a value of $7.7 billion. by 2023. No institution or publisher can afford to miss out on the opportunity to enhance student engagement and outcomes, whilst reducing costs and the administrative burden on staff.
Engaging content: personalised
Students are enthusiastic about gen AI, with 66% of them using it to support their studies, according to the Higher Policy Education Institute. Concerns about accuracy and plagiarism have made university educators more cautious, but the AI adoption gap is starting to close as they realise the extraordinary opportunities offered by AI tools and large language models (LLMs).
The technology empowers tutors to enhance course design and content with the latest relevant research and high-quality materials. It transforms lectures and labs, both online and offline, into immersive, multimedia learning environment enriched with simulations, videos and animations to drive student engagement.
Data-driven personalised learning is another compelling use case. Identifying individual students’ needs and preferences, gen AI can suggest bespoke teaching pathways and resources to suit individual styles and so boost attainment. Intelligent and highly reactive chatbots act as virtual tutors, delivering real-time support around the clock.
After graduation, the alumni experience is also enhanced through personalised communication and tailored networking opportunities.
Intelligent assessment and reduced workload
One area that has already won significant buy-in from educators is gen AI-driven assessment, with 85% agreeing that it boosts student progression. Traditional standardised exams still have their place, but HE leaders increasingly believe that a mix of assessment models will better prepare students for the future of work. Automated assessment provides adaptive, targeted questioning for close analysis of progress, generating personalised feedback to support student progress.
Marking, scheduling and lesson planning are among the back-office efficiencies enabled by gen AI, significantly reducing the administrative load and freeing educators to focus on their strategic work.
A publishing revolution
Educational publishers are optimistic about gen AI and ready to embrace its potential, according to the book trade magazine The Bookseller. The technology is poised to redefine content creation, management and marketing within the industry. Trained on a vast knowledge base, gen AI’s algorithms can write study guides and generate charts, diagrams and interactive material such as videos and quizzes. This adaptive content widens accessibility and can be personalised to audiences on a subscription basis. Textbook authors can harness the technology for inspiration and additional material, with automated updates to ensure that content remains current.
Publishers are also discovering new markets and revenue opportunities by using gen AI to translate content into multiple languages, raising brand awareness worldwide. Marketing is strengthened through predictive analytics that identify trends and patterns within education, enabling highly targeted campaigns.
Responsible use
Gen AI has vast potential within the education landscape, but it is imperative that the technology is harnessed responsibly and transparently to guard against cheating, inaccuracy, plagiarism and copyright violations, as well as growing external security threats. The Russell Group of top UK universities has led the way in developing principles for the safe and ethical use of AI.
Cognizant is committed to maintaining the highest standards for responsible and ethical AI. We have a deep understanding of the education sector and support HE institutions and publishers to drive transformation by delivering engaging educational content and a seamless user experience.
Two of our products can unlock the opportunities of AI for customers within education. The Cognizant Neuro AI platform bundles tools, models and frameworks to empower gen AI adoption at speed and at scale. Our Learning Evolutionary Algorithm Framework (LEAF) helps educators to build and analyse personalised assessment solutions and empowers publishers to determined what website content is driving the greatest activity and engagement.
Conclusion
The growing integration of gen AI into education is supporting HE institutions and academic publishers to provide more engaging teaching, driving greater student and alumni satisfaction and raised attainment. Innovative automated approaches towards content creation, personalised learning and assessment are catering for students’ evolving needs, reducing educators’ workload and shaping the future of learning.
To find out more about how we can support your journey to becoming a gen-AI native organisation get in touch.
