The roots of AI can be traced back to the mid-20th century when researchers began exploring the possibility of creating machines that could simulate human intelligence. From the early days of simple problem-solving algorithms to the development of complex neural networks and deep learning models, AI has made significant strides in its evolution. It has transitioned from rule-based systems to data-driven approaches, unlocking capabilities such as natural language processing, computer vision, and autonomous decision-making. Over the years, AI has transformed from a theoretical concept to a practical reality, permeating various aspects of our daily lives and demonstrating its potential to reshape the future of education and beyond.
The birth of AI goes back to the 1950s when John McCarthy organised a two-month workshop at Dartmouth College in the USA. In the workshop proposal, McCarthy used the term artificial intelligence for the first time in 1956 (Russel & Norvig, 2010, p. 17) (Zawacki-Richter, 2019, p. 3), as he followed up on the work of Turing (Crompton & Burke, 2023, p. 2). Specifically, McCarthy’s use of the word “artificial intelligence” (AI) was intended to refer to machines and processes that imitate human cognition and make decisions like humans (Tlili, 2023, p. 1). There have certainly been lulls in the forward progress of AI since the coining of the term, and recent years have seen a significant change in artificial intelligence.
Currently, AI capability is developing rapidly (Sweeney, 2023, p. 2). At the end of 2022, Chat GPT developed by OpenAI was hailed as the most advanced intelligent machine closest to passing the Turing test, ushering in a new, vibrant era of artificial intelligence (Yu, 2023, p. 02).
References
Crompton, H., & Burke, D. (2022). Artificial intelligence in K-12 education. SN Social Sciences, 2(7), 113. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43545-022-00425-5
Russel, S., & Norvig, P. (2010). Artificial intelligence – a modern approach. New Jersey: Pearson Education.
Sweeney, S. (2023). Who wrote this? Essay mills and assessment – Considerations regarding contract cheating and AI in higher education. The International Journal of Management Education, 21(2), 100818. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2023.100818
Tlili, A., Shehata, B., Adarkwah, M. A., Bozkurt, A., Hickey, D. T., Huang, R., & Agyemang, B. (2023). What if the devil is my guardian angel: ChatGPT as a case study of using chatbots in education. Smart Learning Environments, 10(1), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-023-00237-x
Yu, H. (2023). Reflection on whether Chat GPT should be banned by academia from the perspective of education and teaching. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1181712. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1181712
Zawacki-Richter, O., Marín, V. I., Bond, M., & Gouverneur, F. (2019). Systematic review of research on artificial intelligence applications in higher education – where are the educators? International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 16(1), 39. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-019-0171-0