The Growth of AI in Education Offers Students an Alternative Educational Path

 

On the latest episode of “The Future of Education: Class Disrupted,” hosts Michael Horn and Diane Tavenner take a deep look into the rapid growth and advancements of AI in education and its implications for education. To better understand how AI is making change with students and in general, the two interviewed Irhum Shafkat, a senior at Minerva University. Their discussion explored how AI is transforming learning and its potential impact on future generations.

Currently an intern at Google X, Shafkat has extensive experience in AI research and shared his unique journey from Bangladesh to Minerva University and how he leveraged technology to overcome educational barriers. He provided several insights about his own perspective of AI in education, his hands-on experience with AI, and advanced tools he is experimenting with such as language models. The conversation further discussed some of the common misconceptions surrounding AI, while emphasizing its relevance to the educational sector. AI in education is playing a significant role in shaping many learning experiences, particularly for students like Shafkat who have sought alternative educational paths.

Article by Alexandra Simon.

Recent Episodes

Education is at a crossroads. As AI, online learning, and workforce demands rapidly reshape how people gain skills, long-standing gaps in access and outcomes remain a major concern in Michigan. Recent reporting on the 2025 State of Education and Talent shows Michigan has fallen to its lowest ever ranking in per capita income, underscoring…

Education doesn’t change in neat, predictable cycles—it shifts when people start asking better questions. Over the past several years, those questions have become louder and more urgent, driven by workforce disruption, new technologies, and a growing demand for learning that actually prepares people for real life. At the same time, media itself has evolved, favoring…

Higher education is undergoing a quiet shift. While undergraduate enrollments remain in long-term decline, continuing education has emerged as one of the sector’s fastest-growing segments, expanding at more than 11% annually. At the same time, rapid advances in AI, data, and cybersecurity are reshaping nearly every job category, forcing institutions to rethink how quickly…