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As the fall semester concluded at the University of Minnesota, a different kind of buzz than the usual holiday excitement filled the air: the rush of new artificial intelligence tools. New products launched by Google, OpenAI and other tech giants beg the question: Are we witnessing a genuine educational revolution or simply the latest tech hype cycle? Since ChatGPT's arrival nearly two years ago, the educational technology world has been saturated with claims that AI will transform learning. But history reminds us: These promises don't always deliver.

As a researcher of learning technologies over the past two decades, I've studied the use of technology in education and witnessed cycles of unbridled optimism. Educational radio and TV fell short of their lofty goals. Ιn 2012, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) were hailed as the solution to democratize higher education, but two studies published in one of the world's most rigorous scientific journals revealed that they disproportionately benefited those who were already more affluent. In 2015, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative pledged to revolutionize K-12 learning with personalized approaches. Despite considerable investment, these initiatives have also failed to shift K-12 student outcomes in fundamental ways. Education has evolved, but no single technology has delivered the radical transformation it promised.

Today, AI is championed as the latest game-changer in education, with advocates arguing that its unique capabilities can make education more effective, efficient and engaging. Proponents suggest AI can provide all kinds of benefits, ranging anywhere from offering one-to-one tutoring to addressing teacher burnout. However, a 2023 UNESCO report warns that AI may exacerbate existing disparities by privileging schools and students with access to high-quality digital infrastructure, leaving others behind.

The enthusiasm for improving education is commendable, and our education systems are in desperate need of innovation. But a myopic focus on AI hinders innovation because it sidelines alternative solutions and the scope of conversation among educators, entrepreneurs and policymakers.

If AI is so compelling and all-encompassing, why should we look elsewhere for solutions to the challenges that schools and universities are facing?

To be sure, AI can be a valuable tool in the service of education. For example, it can help students learn more effectively by tutoring them using scientifically validated methods of studying. Or, it can help them explore possible ways forward when they are stuck, such as when they're facing writer's block.

What higher education truly needs is a portfolio of solutions. AI can't do it all. AI can't fix broken policies, study on behalf of stressed learners or provide financial aid. Initiatives like policy changes, flexible learning opportunities, expanding mental health services on campuses, and offering online options are some of the ways that we can address such problems.

These are just a few of the many possibilities for genuine transformation. By taking an expansive approach – one that isn't limited to AI – we can build a better future for education in Minnesota and beyond.

George Veletsianos is professor of Learning Technologies at the University of Minnesota, where he holds the Bonnie Westby Huebner Chair in Education and Technology. He can be reached at georgev@umn.edu and is on BlueSky: @veletsianos.bsky.social