Artificial Intelligence vs. Human Brain
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Ross Morrison McGill founded @TeacherToolkit in 2007, and today, he is one of the ‘most followed educators’on social media in the world. In 2015, he was nominated as one of the ‘500 Most Influential People in Britain’ by The Sunday Times as a result of…
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Can artificial intelligence think like a human brain?
New research explores the similarities and distinctions between AI and the human brain, shedding light on how these insights might impact teaching and learning.
This recent study, An Approach to Understanding Similarities Between AI and the Human Brain (Mishra et al., 2024) reveals intriguing similarities — and critical differences — between artificial intelligence (AI) and human cognition.
The researchers focused on deep neural networks (DNNs), a subset of AI inspired by the human brain, examining whether these systems actually process information as humans do.
While AI mirrors certain pattern recognition processes, the research also highlights where neural networks fall short in adaptability and contextual understanding.
I suspect most people reading this will already be using some form of AI in their personal life, or even in the classroom. My question is, how do the AI tools you use respond to human context?
Well, it will come as no surprise that AI …
Lacks the ability to adapt to emotional cues or context
As AI tools make their way into classrooms, teachers need to understand the nuances. How long before AI can genuinely respond to human emotions and very scenarios?
While AI can enhance certain functions — such as providing personalised learning data or adaptive assessments — it lacks the innate ability to adapt to emotional cues or complex contextual shifts.
By recognising these limitations, teachers can make more informed decisions about how to incorporate AI thoughtfully, and ethically into their classroom.
Reflection Questions for teachers
- How do teachers use AI to complement, rather than replace, current teaching methods?
- Could AI’s pattern recognition help with personalised feedback in classrooms?
- How can AI be used responsibly to enhance students’ learning experiences?
- In what ways can AI assist in formative assessment, and where might it fall short?
- How can teachers remain critical users of AI, ensuring ethical and effective use?
- How might teachers introduce AI’s role and limitations to students?
- What practical steps can teachers take to blend AI insights with traditional teaching methods?
- How should school leaders address concerns around AI and student data privacy?
- Could AI tools help detect gaps in student learning that may otherwise go unnoticed?
- How can teachers avoid over-relying on AI in decisions that need human insight?
All these questions and more, are currently being addressed by consumers of artificial intelligence. Perhaps in a future blog post, I’ll identify my top 10 resources!
Teachers keen to explore the potential of AI in their classrooms should approach with a clear understanding of what AI can—and cannot—do. The research concludes:
Prediction is inherently difficult … and is unlikely in the next 5 to 10 years.
Download the full paper to learn more.
