Predictions for the Potential Development of Artificial Intelligence in Chinese Education

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the simulation of human thought processes and consciousness on computer systems. Experts have gone so far as to chart the future development of AI systems that surpass human intelligence as a single civilization-shifting event, known as the "technological singularity" or "the Singularity." But in the more near future, AI promises to have more concrete applications throughout our everyday lives, including in education, a challenge that China has already taken up. At present, the main applications of this so-called "weak" artificial intelligence in Chinese education are MOOC, web classes, and the flipped class model, with the results already proving outstanding. With the deeper combination of AI and education, we can look forward to benefits like the increasing usefulness of after-school tutoring robots, reliving teachers of burdensome responsibilities, and balancing global education resources. We should, however, also use AI in education reasonably by contextualizing gathered data, strengthening legal protections, and developing moral guidelines in machine programming. Addressing these three points will address the concerns of many laypeople as AI systems are implemented, offering protection for their fragile beginnings in education and encouraging the development of better ones in the future.