Generative AI as a Teaching Assistant: Opportunities and Challenges

Abstract

Combining generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) with educational settings has created even newer opportunities to make instruction and learning more interesting and productive. Among others, as a teaching assistant, GenAI can assist in creating instructional elements, respond to student requests, offer immediate response, and reinforce individual whereabouts. All these capabilities can decrease amount of administrative work that educators need to perform, allow them to intervene in the learning process of students in time, and increase their levels of engagement by providing them with interactive material. More so, GenAI is scalable, which means that one system can support multiple learners in different subjects and learning situations. Nevertheless, the use of GenAI in the teaching profession involves major issues that valid arguments need to be addressed. Issues related to the accuracy and reliability of produced material, possible prejudices in the training data sets, and the danger of over-utilization by learners cast doubt on its pedagogical usefulness. There are also ethical concerns such as infringements of data privacy, plagiarism and disturbances of disclosure in the AI decisionmaking, which makes it even more difficult to implement. It also should be said that the digital divide should be avoided as the discrepancies in access to AI resources might intensify the educational disparities. This paper, analyzes the fact that GenAI is both an enabler and disruptor of the teaching process. Through a critical review of current literature, case examples, and stakeholder opinions, it attempts to find ways in which teachers can make the best use of the potential GenAI promises yet take a few steps to contain the danger it presents. The results point to the necessity of creating solid institutional guidelines, incorporating human monitoring in AIguided studying, and enhancing literacy with AI as applied to teachers and students. GenAI can be an effective contributor to the future of education by balancing innovation and ethical practice