A private school in London is opening the UK’s first classroom taught by artificial intelligence instead of human teachers. They say the technology allows for precise, bespoke learning while critics argue AI teaching will lead to a “soulless, bleak future”.

The UK’s first “teacherless” GCSE class, using artificial intelligence instead of human teachers, is about to start lessons.

David Game College, a private school in London, opens its new teacherless course for 20 GCSE students in September.

The students will learn using a mixture of artificial intelligence platforms on their computers and virtual reality headsets.

    • Deceptichum@quokk.au
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      2 months ago

      I wonder if they’ll be able to sue for damages in the future? This is clearly a fucking idiotic idea that anyone with even the most basic understanding of AI would be able to tell you, so there’s no excuses like ‘Oh who could’ve forseen a generation of children raised on completely fake information could be so poorly led’ in 15 years time.

        • where_am_i@sh.itjust.works
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          2 months ago

          You think that exists in the UK? I doubt. You definitely don’t get anything of that sort in the EU. A law is a law.

  • Chaotic Entropy@feddit.uk
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    2 months ago

    Imagine paying to send your child to private school and then they decide to pull this bullshit. Classic profit motivations.

    • wabafee@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      It potentially could, even better if it’s still supervised by an actual teacher but each children would have their own AI, so teaching subjects could be personalized. This could mean slow students can still catch up and have bigger chance understanding the said subjects.

      • overload@sopuli.xyz
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        2 months ago

        If the AI doesn’t hallucinate incorrect information, I totally agree.

        One size fits all classroom learning leaves many students behind, and having a personal AI tutor could really help kids fill in the gaps in their understanding that would otherwise be overlooked.

        AI hallucinations is still a very real factor that limits the usefulness of this tech right now though. I magine coming into class and your tutor you had yesterday is confidently telling you the opposite of the fact that it taught you yesterday.

    • iopq@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      It could. For example, I learn better by myself than in a classroom setting.

  • KellysNokia@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    I’m sorry, but as an AI language model, I cannot allow you to go to the bathroom during classroom hours.

  • TheTechnician27@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    The students will learn using a mixture of artificial intelligence platforms on their computers and virtual reality headsets.

    Suspicions immediately confirmed that the principal is a complete fucking dipshit who just wants to chase whatever trends sound futuristic. What an awful person for putting kids through this garbage.

    • Chozo@fedia.io
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      2 months ago

      What an awful person for putting kids through this garbage.

      I wouldn’t blame the principal, I’d blame the parents. This is a private school, they’re making a conscientious choice to enroll their kid there.

      • TheTechnician27@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        I blame both, much in the same way that I’d blame a quack doctor and parents bringing their kids to the quack doctor.

      • unconfirmedsourcesDOTgov@lemmy.sdf.org
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        2 months ago

        Not to mention they’re probably paying double for it - once through their taxes for the public school the kids aren’t attending plus the tuition for the private school.

  • JigglySackles@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    That’s stupid as hell. They think a bunch of kids are just going to sit there and listen to a robot? They don’t expect them to take advantage of every flaw in AI? Not only that but it removes the human interaction element of development. And to just top it off, AI is so basal right now that it will most likely teach students erroneous information anyways. Why are so many influential people with money complete morons?

    • Karyoplasma@discuss.tchncs.de
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      2 months ago

      It’s not that they’re morons, it’s that they don’t care shit about others or the future of others. And that’s why they are rich, intellect plays only a very little part in that equation.

  • Harvey656@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    So many things come to mind reading this, but the most important thought is: This will be how the bastards finally get rid of those pesky teachers and their gasp progressive teachings! /s I hope this fails hard, because a world without trading ideas to children is just prison for all.

  • dinckel@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    Straight up just taking a piss at both the children’s future, and the teacher’s professional career

  • StarLight@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    Won’t work. I give this little publicity stunt about a week before they go back to human teachers

  • Lvxferre@mander.xyz
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    2 months ago

    This is bad on three levels. Don’t use AI:

    1. to output info, decisions or advice where nobody will check its output. Will anyone actually check if the AI is accurate at identifying why the kids aren’t learning? (No; it’s a teacherless class.)
    2. use AI where its outcome might have a strong impact on human lives. Dunno about you guys, but teens education looks kind like a big deal. /s
    3. where nobody will take responsibility for it. “I did nothing, the AI did it, not my fault”. School environment is all about that blaming someone else, now something else.

    In addition to that I dug some info on the school. By comparing this map with this one, it seems to me that the target students of the school are people from one of the poorest areas of London, the Tower Hamlets borough. “Yay”, using poor people as guinea pigs /s

    • *Tagger*@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      It’s a private school though, so I’d be cautious about assuming they’re poor kids.

      Edit: Yeah, it costs £27000!!!

      • Lvxferre@mander.xyz
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        2 months ago

        Fair - my conclusion in this regard was incorrect then.

        They’re still using children as guinea pigs though.

      • progandy@feddit.org
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        2 months ago

        The experimental AI programme is more expensive than the traditional course? What are they thinking?