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To make my earlier critique of your argument clearer, some applications of AI might be bad for society, but it does not follow that the tutoring application is
by lern_too_spel 3mo ago
To make my earlier critique of your argument clearer, some applications of AI might be bad for society, but it does not follow that the tutoring application is also bad for society.
- forgetfreeman 3mo agoEducational outcomes tank when computers are introduced to classrooms. It absolutely follows that AI as a tutoring application is bad for society. https://fortune.com/2026/03/14/america-math-and-reading-scores-tanked-edtech-ai-brain-rot/ https://fortune.com/2026/03/14/america-math-and-reading-scor...
- Marha01 3mo ago> Educational outcomes tank when computers are introduced to classrooms. Correlation does not necessarily mean causation.
- forgetfreeman 3mo agoFair, but when presented with a situation where one side of an argument has evidence and the other has baseless assertions the choice is rather plain.
- lern_too_spel 3mo agoIt does not follow that anything produced by an electronic computational device is bad for children or society. I've personally seen computers teach children barely two years old to read.
- forgetfreeman 3mo agoAnecdote < Data. Studies consistently show declines in every trackable metric associated with education when computational devices are introduced to the process. Until actual data is presented that contradicts these findings there's no grounds for rational debate.
- lern_too_spel 3mo ago> Studies consistently show declines in every trackable metric associated with education when computational devices are introduced to the process. They're doing it wrong, just as the incentives in the classroom are wrong (to increase a number showing how many children meet some artificially low standard of competency). The rational debate comes from the hundreds of people who are doing it right on their own. These days, all the top chess players practice with an engine. All the top mathletes use AoPS tools. It's the same across every academic field, and the level at which the top is performing is far beyond what it was before computers were introduced. The amount of effort it would take to teach a barely two year old to read is far beyond what most parents have to give, but with an electronic device patiently saying letter sounds whenever an infant interacts with letters, it's trivial.
- forgetfreeman 3mo agoI look forward to your nomination for Secretary of Education since you appear to have a handle on something trained professionals on two continents backed by billion dollar industries have failed to master.
- lern_too_spel 3mo agoI already told you that their incentives are wrong. Meanwhile, the people training the elite in any field use computers extensively and have been doing so for years.
- bluefirebrand 3mo agoA responsible society would make sure that the applications have good results with adults before even thinking about applying it to children And despite the hype, the jury is still out for how the results are for adults using AI
- lern_too_spel 3mo agoNobody has tried to systematically apply AI tutoring for adults. AI tutoring for children is easier because there are more people who understand the domains that need to be taught to children and can evaluate if the children have grasped the concepts appropriately. It is clear that a personal human tutor can achieve incredible results, and almost everybody who has revolutionized any field you might think of is a product of such a system. Scaling that would be immensely valuable to society.
- bluefirebrand 3mo ago> AI tutoring for children is easier We shouldn't do questionable shit just because it's easier
- lern_too_spel 3mo agoWe should do it because of the huge benefits to society. The fact that it is easier than doing something with marginal benefit is why we should do it first.
- bluefirebrand 3mo agoYou have to demonstrate benefits to society before claiming you are providing them
- lern_too_spel 3mo agoThe aforementioned people who revolutionized their fields are the demonstrated benefits. If we're going to stop a technology that could multiply that before it even gets to testing, it shouldn't be done on vibes.