AI tutors Made for smarter learning, but teachers are irreplaceable

Last year, a World Economic Forum report highlighted how students at the only primary school in Baziyan Village, Hubei Province, China, were learning with the help of an AI tutor. With a shortage of quality teachers, the school turned to AI-powered education to bridge the gap.

Education is evolving fast, and technology is taking center stage. One of the most exciting developments? AI tutors. More students worldwide are now learning from AI-driven platforms that adapt to their abilities, interests, and learning styles. These tutors, powered by GPT and other AI models, adjust their pace to match individual students, offer extra support when needed, and even analyse learning patterns to improve engagement. In India, platforms like Khanmigo, TutorAI, StudentAI, Teachmateai.com, Duolingo, and DreamBox Learning are gaining traction among students. But the big question remains: Can AI tutors replace teachers? Absolutely not.

For Raja McGee, Principal & Secretary, Calcutta Boys’ School, technology is an aid and not the teacher. Also, as an educationist, he is concerned about creativity getting lost in the age of AI. “Every child thinks differently. But then, if things are going to be available at the click of a button, then where do you let the child think? This is my concern as an educationist. In the garb of advancement and giving the child the best, we are actually stealing away the human potential… the capability to think, the capability to react to the situation, and especially the creativity which is individual and extremely personal will go. So, you will not have variety,” he said.

AI tutors are available 24/7, offering personalised learning experiences that let students learn at their own pace, whether it’s early morning before school or late at night while struggling with a tricky problem. But what happens when a student feels overwhelmed, anxious, or simply needs emotional support? That’s where teachers step in. No AI can replace the empathy, encouragement, and mentorship that a real teacher provides. Partha Pratim Roy, Academic Coordinator, South Point High School, Kolkata, highlighted how AI can adapt to individual learning paces, offering tailored exercises and immediate feedback. He cited examples of AI systems like Khan Academy’s Khanmigo, which demonstrates effectiveness in structured subjects (e.g., math, physics, coding etc.) by providing differential feedbacks. “AI can provide learning assistance round the clock, reaching underserved or remote populations, and reduces costs compared to hiring human teachers at scale. AI can analyse performance trends to identify learning gaps and optimise learning pathways for individual learners. Nevertheless, AI is unable to interpret nuanced emotions (e.g., frustration due to personal issues, lack of motivation to learn, doubt or confusion about any concept) and lacks the capacity for genuine empathy or mentorship,” he said. The educationist further emphasised how classroom learning facilitates teamwork, argumentation, and communication skills, which are still enormous challenges before AI-driven systems to replicate. “Humans excel at improvising explanations, connecting lessons to real-world contexts, and addressing unexpected questions. Cultural, ethnic, linguistic, and gender-linked complexities are still beyond the grasp of AI based systems. While AI tutors can offer transformative potential in personalization and accessibility, human teachers remain irreplaceable in cultivating holistic development, emotional intelligence, and complex adaptive learning. The future lies in synergistic integration, leveraging AI’s efficiency while preserving the human touch essential for nurturing well-rounded individuals,” said Roy.

In fall 2023, Harvard University launched the Harvard AI Sandbox, allowing faculty to integrate large language models (LLMs) into classrooms while ensuring copyright and data security compliance. AI tutors aren’t meant to replace teachers. They’re designed to assist and enhance the learning experience. By handling routine tasks like reviewing assignments and distributing homework, AI frees up teachers to focus on what truly matters: engaging discussions, personalised feedback, and deeper instruction. Also, teachers can use AI-generated insights to better understand student performance, allowing them to adapt their teaching strategies for more effective learning. AI isn’t here to take over… it’s here to support and refine education.

“There can never be any substitute for human interaction in the teaching- learning process. Machine driven learning can be a supplement for both teacher and student while preparing for a lesson, thus enhancing the quality of interaction but the spontaneity of a teacher in a physical classroom cannot be replicated. Also, the veracity and relevance of AI-driven information has to be examined by the human teacher facilitator before it translates to real learning outcomes. For example, it is not unusual for AI generated question papers to contain irrelevant samples,” said Purnima Chatterjee, Principal, MP Birla Foundation Higher Secondary School.

With technology advancing at lightning speed, we’re heading toward a future where AI tutors and traditional teaching go hand in hand. Expect to see hybrid models that blend in-person instruction with AI-driven support, making learning more efficient and engaging.