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Will AI Replace Teachers?
Article

Will AI Replace Teachers?

Chinese Companies Bytedance and TAL Education Are Experimenting in This Direction

36Kr, 2019

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Editorial Rating

9

Qualities

  • Analytical
  • Innovative
  • Eye Opening

Recommendation

Automation is changing many jobs. Even AI-enhanced teaching is on the rise in China. Digital teachers don’t need time off, are never late for work, and – if programmed correctly – are immune to biases favoring or discriminating against students. Jing Ting and Si Qi, writers for Chinese tech media platform 36Kr, scrutinize current forms of AI-enhanced teaching and explain the popularity of AI-enhanced learning products. In this report, they circumspectly analyze why some investors hesitate to bet on AI teachers and conclude that human teachers aren’t on the chopping block – at least for now.

Take-Aways

  • An increasing number of AI-driven online tutoring start-ups have popped up in China’s online learning industry since 2018.
  • These start-ups use recorded course material and a database of possible responses to interact with students. 
  • The costs of instructing students this way are lower than hiring human teachers to tutor online.

About the Authors

Jing Ting and Si Qi are writers for 36Kr, a Chinese tech media platform and start-up incubator. They report on start-up investment news and tech trends.