In the corridors of schools and universities, conversations are no longer limited to grades or exams. Today, they also include algorithms, language models, and intelligent systems. The question is no longer whether we should use Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education, but how we should do so. Trying to prevent the use of AI is unrealistic. The real challenge is to guide students and teachers toward an intelligent, ethical, and human use of these tools.
An unavoidable reality
Students are already using AI-based tools such as ChatGPT or Perplexity, often without any guidance or ethical filter. They use them to write texts, prepare presentations or complete assignments, just as twenty years ago they consulted printed encyclopedias or, more recently, searched for information on the internet or Wikipedia. Today, as twenty years ago, some use these tools as sources of plagiarism or accept information without questioning, thinking or verifying it.
Then as now, the key differentiating factor is critical thinking. Technology is powerful, but when used uncritically it can be as misleading as a calculator in inexperienced hands. A student who does not master basic operations may accept without question an incorrect result such as 3 + 2 = 1, simply because the machine suggested it and they did not realize they pressed the minus key instead of plus. The same applies to AI: one must understand what one is looking for, know how to formulate relevant questions, and evaluate the answers with discernment. The difference that, admittedly, is not a small one, is the complexity of what can be asked of AI.
Rethinking the role of schools
Educational institutions must take an active role in training students and teachers to use technology well. This does not mean replacing the fundamentals of knowledge. Students still need to learn multiplication tables, research skills and analytical thinking. Instead, it means adopting an approach to teaching similar to that used by companies that already work with hybrid teams composed of people and intelligent systems. In the classroom as well, AI should be seen as a member of the pedagogical team. It is not a substitute for the teacher, but a partner that, when properly trained and supervised, expands the possibilities of teaching.
The pedagogical value of AI
AI has the potential to introduce a new dimension of equity and personalization in education. In a way, it acts as an invisible assistant that allows educators to better address the diversity within classrooms. In a class of 30 students, each with different learning rhythms and styles, AI can help adapt content, suggest personalized exercises, monitor individual progress and support each student in reaching the next level of learning.
In advanced virtual tutoring systems, for example, a student preparing for a History test might ask an AI to generate possible exam questions. This guided approach turns AI into a tool for autonomy rather than dependence.
The same logic applies to assessment. For teachers responsible for hundreds of students, it is impractical to frequently grade individual assignments and provide meaningful feedback. Tools such as Artificial Owl, which evaluate open-ended responses and offer concrete suggestions for improvement, demonstrate how technology can support fairer and more effective teaching. Feedback arrives in a timely manner, increasing student motivation and freeing teachers to provide more personalized and human-centered guidance.
Using AI in these contexts gives teachers back time and energy for what machines cannot replicate. These include empathy, inspiration, emotional intelligence and, above all, critical thinking.
The renewed role of the teacher
The teaching profession needs to evolve. The teacher’s role increasingly becomes that of facilitator, mentor and curator of knowledge. Teachers must foster curiosity, promote critical thinking and guide students in the ethical use of technology. They help students distinguish between information and understanding, between automation and creativity.
Teaching students to work with AI also means teaching them to think about what it produces. Students must learn to question results, identify possible algorithmic biases and recognize the limitations of such systems. AI may generate texts, but it is up to the student, with the support of the teacher, to assess their relevance and accuracy.
For teachers, this requires new competencies. They need to know how to formulate effective prompts, interpret data generated by intelligent systems and integrate AI into pedagogical strategies. At the same time, understanding ethical principles such as data privacy and algorithmic transparency becomes essential.
We are witnessing the first generation of students, teachers and parents who will truly learn alongside AI. If this process is well guided, the next generation will already have these competencies integrated into their educational profile.
AI-assisted education: what is already happening in Portugal
Research in this area is beginning to produce concrete results. In the Artificial Owl project, for example, solutions for the automatic grading of exams and written assignments are being validated. In this early phase, the system compares AI-generated grades with those given by human evaluators and, whenever discrepancies arise, specialists review the cases. The results have been surprising. Grading becomes faster and more consistent, and it is accompanied by individualized feedback for both students and teachers.
In partnership with several schools, national colleges and universities, researchers are studying ways to integrate these systems ethically and transparently. The goal is not to automate education, but to make it more effective, equitable and accessible.
The success of these processes depends not only on technology, but also on the pedagogical vision that guides it. The schools that benefit most will be those that understand that teaching with AI does not mean abandoning the essence of education but strengthening it.
In the end, machines may generate answers, but the real future belongs to those who know how to ask the right questions.
Rute Xavier, Professor at CATÓLICA-LISBON