Talking AI and the future of education with the University of Minnesota

As generative artificial intelligence (AI) continues to evolve, it is raising fundamental questions about how education might change.

As students return to classrooms this fall, many will have spent their summer using ChatGPT for everything from writing emails to learning new skills. George Veletsianos, a professor in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Minnesota, shares his expertise on critical questions these technological changes pose for teaching, learning and the future of education.

Q. What are the impacts of AI in schools?
Prof. Veletsianos: After 20 years of studying educational technology, I’ve learned to be cautious about claims of something revolutionizing education. AI won’t transform education overnight, but it will bring many small and probably meaningful changes. 

Schools and universities will largely look the same from the outside — we’ll still have teachers, classes, labs, performances and homework. But behind the scenes, things will shift. Students may chat with AI when they are stuck, schools can translate online courses to multiple languages, and teachers could adapt lessons for different reading levels. These small changes could matter more than any big overhaul.

Let’s compare AI to GPS. GPS didn’t replace driving, but it completely changed how we navigate. We don’t memorize directions anymore and can navigate new areas easily. AI might do the same for education. Will some people learn about a topic one-to-one with AI tutors? For sure! For some topics and in some cases that will happen, much like they already learn via YouTube or online communities. But dramatic, system-wide change is unlikely.

Q. What’s the biggest misconception about generative AI in education?
Prof. Veletsianos: People tend to see AI in black and white. They see it either as a miracle cure for all of education’s problems or as a threat that will destroy education. The reality is that AI will neither fix nor devastate education. Its impacts are going to be far-reaching, but the long history of learning technologies tells us that those impacts are not going to go in a single direction. Online courses were supposed to make elite education free for everyone, but they mostly helped people who already had degrees. iPads in classrooms were going to revolutionize learning, but they mostly just replaced textbooks.

Something similar is likely to happen with AI. Schools will adopt it, and teachers will adjust to it. Students will write papers and do research with the assistance of AI, and teachers and professors will also grade them with the help of AI. But our classrooms will remain largely familiar.

Q. What concerns should we have?
Prof. Veletsianos: AI is tempting to use. It gives us instant answers, but that speed comes with a hidden cost. When students skip the mental work that actually builds understanding, they miss the real work of learning. Learning is about wrestling with problems, sitting with confusion and slowly piecing things together.

Think about it this way: You can’t become a skilled architect, designer, artist or researcher by just reading answers. All of these fields require deep understanding that only comes from working through problems yourself. You need expertise to judge whether AI’s confident-sounding answers are actually correct. You can’t build that expertise if you’re always taking shortcuts. When we constantly outsource our thinking to AI, we risk losing crucial mental abilities like focusing deeply on hard problems, connecting complex ideas and thinking for ourselves.

Q. What becomes possible if we use AI wisely?
Prof. Veletsianos: AI could ease daily burdens for teachers and personalize learning for students. Imagine teachers spending less time on paperwork and more time actually talking with students. Picture getting difficult engineering concepts explained through your personal interests — whether that’s football, painting or movies. 

But what really excites me is that AI might push us to develop neglected skills. If AI-generated summaries are everywhere and sometimes wrong or misleading, we all need stronger critical thinking. We’ll have to constantly question: Is this accurate? What’s missing? What’s the bias? These are essential skills.

AI also gives us a reason to revisit big questions: What is education for? Who does it serve? How can we make it better?

Real change happens when we work with communities to imagine solutions that meet their needs, not just adopting solutions that serve the tech industry’s vision of the future.

Q: How does your work at the University of Minnesota support AI in schools?
Prof. Veletsianos: I teach and research in the Learning Technologies program. At the graduate level, these programs prepare students to conduct research about educational and learning technologies, and design, develop, implement and evaluate technology‑enhanced learning. At the undergraduate level, our learning technologies minor and major prepare students to become responsible, knowledgeable and skilled leaders in leveraging new and emerging digital technologies. 

Right now, my research focuses on how students and faculty are using — or not using — generative AI in learning, teaching and research. Who’s using it, how, and why?

My goal is to improve teaching and learning not just based on new developments, but in applying what we have learned through decades of research on technology in education.

George Veletsianos is a professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction in the College of Education and Human Development. His areas of interest include the intersection of people, learning and technology, with special emphasis on emerging technologies in education. 

-30-

About the College of Education and Human Development
The University of Minnesota College of Education and Human Development strives to teach, advance research and engage with the community to increase opportunities for all individuals. As the third largest college on the Twin Cities campus, CEHD research and specialties focus on a range of challenges, including: educational equity, teaching and learning innovations, children’s mental health and development, family resilience, and healthy aging. Learn more at cehd.umn.edu. 

About “Talking…with University of Minnesota”
“Talking…with University of Minnesota” is a resource whereby University of Minnesota experts answer questions on timely topics. News organizations are welcome to republish this content. If you would like to schedule an interview or have suggestions for future topics, please contact University Public Relations at [email protected].