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In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly moved from a futuristic concept to a tangible presence in nearly every facet of our lives. One of the most significant areas where AI has started to take hold is in higher education. 

The transformative potential of AI promises to reshape not only how students learn but also how they engage with subjects, how educators teach, and how institutions adapt to this fast-paced revolution.

However, as with any major shift, the incorporation of AI into higher education has not been a uniform process. Some disciplines have readily embraced AI tools, while others remain more sceptical, quite often for good reason. 

The science and technology domains, naturally, have been at the forefront of AI integration. The intervals in the incidence of disruption that affect these fields has been steadily decreasing with time. It is for this reason that practitioners and scholars in this space appear more ready and open to adapting to their new AI-driven reality.  

In contrast, disciplines such as humanities, law, and social sciences have been slower to adopt AI. This hesitance can be attributed to AI’s limitations in capturing the depth, nuance, and critical thinking essential to these fields. 

These current limitations of AI in replicating human creativity, emotion, or cultural understanding may not exist in the not-so-distant future, if we are to go by the rate at which AI is evolving. But, even in its present nascent state, it still offers valuable tools that can enhance research, learning, and pedagogy. 

For instance, AI-powered tools can help scholars in the humanities process vast amounts of text, uncover patterns in historical data, or even create dynamic, interactive learning experiences. Despite these benefits, the integration of AI is sometimes seen as a threat to the core of these disciplines.

Different approaches to AI

Most educational institutions are still grappling with the appropriate response to this game-changing technology. Some have resorted to an outright ban on the use of AI, some have espoused its unfettered use, and others have sought to identify a middle ground. 

Regardless of the approach, no solution seems to have been without its fair share of challenges.

The ban approach seems protectionist in nature, with the apparent fear and apprehension over the future of education causing its proponents to seek solace in the comfortable and the familiar, even if it is coming at the cost of operating under a metaphorical veil of ignorance. 

The unfettered use approach appears to be operating out of a place of a different sort of ignorance, one that has a blind faith in the positive outlook of emerging technologies. The absence of sufficient guardrails for ensuring security, safety and integrity is overlooked as an issue of significance.

The middle ground approach between these two extremes is one that we as a society are currently oscillating between. The attempts at finding a balance are continuously ongoing, but are proving to be a complicated challenge. The regulatory framework for AI is unable to keep pace with the rate at which it is evolving. In academia, the disparity across fields in terms of their openness to AI and the general apprehension of its implications for the future of education have also been impediments to the identification of a universal solution to the AI question.

That being said, a strategy of oblivion is unlikely to aid in addressing the problem. Recognising that AI is here to stay and that it needs to blend in and not shunned out of the education sphere is a crucial first step in this process. All the stakeholders in the educational journey—from students, to teachers and administrators—stand to gain from the use of AI. 

AI’s potential 

One of the most exciting possibilities for AI in higher education is its potential to complement and enhance traditional teaching methods. Rather than replace the human element of teaching, AI can support educators in personalising learning experiences, facilitating collaborative work, and providing students with immediate feedback.

For example, AI-driven platforms can adapt to individual student needs, offering tailored learning resources that match their pace and style of learning.

Furthermore, AI can help educators assess student progress in real time, allowing for more timely interventions and support. By automating routine tasks like grading or providing students with immediate feedback on assignments, AI can free up educators to focus on more creative and interactive aspects of teaching. 

This means that classroom time can be used for deeper discussions, collaborative projects, and hands-on learning experiences, rather than being spent on administrative tasks.

Incorporating AI into teaching is not about abandoning traditional methods; it’s about using technology to enhance them. AI tools can help students better grasp complex concepts, while also encouraging independent learning and critical thinking. 

In this way, AI can be integrated into the educational landscape in a way that respects and supports the human-centered nature of teaching and learning.

Ashwin Mishra is Associate Professor and Associate Dean, and Parth Shamra is Assistant Professor, at School of Law, RV University, Bangalore.