Technologies have evolved exponentially over the last few years, and education is an area that has gained innovative tools as allies. One of the most innovative technologies today is artificial intelligence, capable of providing personalized answers and content in a few seconds, in addition to offering support for carrying out various tasks that previously could only be done by humans.

The Impact of AI on Schools and Universities

In education, online platforms powered by artificial intelligence have been revolutionary, as journalist Anna Magalhães, who specializes in content in the education field, explains:

“Ao se perguntar quais são os tipos de artigos acadêmicos mais comuns, ou como fazer um artigo acadêmico passo a passo com exemplos e dentro das normas ABNT, a tecnologia é uma grande aliada, especialmente a inteligência artificial, capaz de fornecer respostas incrivelmente certeiras em poucos segundos”. (“When wondering what are the most common types of academic articles, or how to write an academic article step by step with examples and within ABNT standards, technology is a great ally, especially artificial intelligence, capable of providing incredibly accurate answers in just a few seconds.”)

It’s undeniable that artificial intelligence is transforming Brazilian schools and universities, and also the education itself.

Automation of Manual Tasks

The automation of manual tasks, which previously needed to be performed by humans, is one of the significant benefits offered by artificial intelligence—not just in education but across various fields.

In schools and universities, AI has been used to automate tasks such as enrollment management, document organization, customer service, sending notifications, and important announcements, among others. For students, this tool is a reliable ally, assisting in idea generation, the creation of tables, lists, and even presentations.

Improvement of the Learning Personalization

Knowing how to craft the "ideal prompt" is the key to achieving personalized and efficient results. For both students and teachers, artificial intelligence enhances the efficiency of personalized learning by facilitating the creation of tailored lesson plans for students or classes with specific needs and providing immediate answers to specific questions.

Support for Distance Learning

Distance education is a growing trend in Brazil, with a remarkable 474% increase over a decade when comparing data from 2011 and 2021.

While it is a valuable alternative for delivering education to students unable to attend physical institutions, distance learning has its challenges. AI is helping to minimize these challenges through its innovative features, making activities such as the following more accessible:

• Online meetings
• Creation of online presentations
• Transcription of videos or meetings
• Automatic translation of videos in other languages
• Automatic generation of summaries for lessons or online meetings
• Language learning supported by artificial intelligence
• Customer service via chatbots that generate automated responses

Nowadays, students are able to use various AI tools to take notes during classes and meetings. One of the most popular is Microsoft Copilot. Another option is Otter AI, which can record online meetings, take notes, generate meeting transcripts, and much more.

Improvement of Academic Writing

One of the main tasks for students in schools or universities is writing essays and academic content. This task has been significantly impacted by the emergence of artificial intelligence tools, as numerous platforms now focus on text-related assistance.

The primary example we can highlight is ChatGPT itself, which can generate texts in countless formats and tones on a wide range of topics, tailored to specific requirements.

While it is possible to use technologies like ChatGPT to create complete texts—an approach that is not well-regarded in academic circles—it can also be utilized in many other ways. These uses focus more on exploring possibilities and generating ideas rather than producing fully polished material.

Some of the ways Brazilian students can leverage AI technology to improve academic writing include these listed points:

• Research: accessing reliable sources, particularly through AI platforms focused on academic material, such as Research Rabbit, which uses artificial intelligence for academic research;
• Grammar: using grammar correction software;
• Brainstorming: obtaining insights and ideas for content creation;
• To find references: conducting personalized and targeted research for the best references and existing content on various topics.

Language Learning Automatization and Accessibility

Learning a new language is often a challenge for many Brazilian students, especially due to the difficulty of engaging with native speakers of other languages to gain enriching experiences. In many cases, particularly in public schools, learning English, for instance, is largely limited to grammar rules and song interpretation.

However, with artificial intelligence, language learning has the potential to reach new heights through a variety of tools. Platforms like Duolingo, for example, teach languages in a highly gamified way—offering a feature-rich version available for free. Similarly, Studybay offers a powerful platform for academic support, providing students with access to AI-powered tools like the AI Text Detector, which helps ensure the originality and authenticity of their written work. Additionally, there are tools focused on conversation, such as the Praktika app, which provides conversation lessons with AI tutors who interact with students and offer real-time feedback.

These tools, whether in free or premium versions, provide resources that can be used both in the classroom and at home to optimize language education for Brazilians.

Automated Correction for Questions and Essays

Artificial intelligence enables the automation of grading questions and essays, significantly optimizing teachers’ time and providing instant feedback to students.

While this resource is not yet widely used in Brazil, particularly in public educational institutions, the trend suggests that such tools will become increasingly integrated into schools and universities over time.

By using advanced analytics, identification of areas where students might be suffering, and customizing their instructional tactics, AI-powered solutions let teachers monitor student development. AI also enables teachers to produce interesting materials such gamified learning opportunities, virtual simulations, and interactive tests.

The Negative Aspects of This Technology

The list of advantages of using artificial intelligence in education is extensive, and these benefits can significantly enhance the quality of learning. On the other hand, there are also some drawbacks, primarily related to the idea of viewing AI as a substitute for activities that require critical thinking.

Some of these disadvantages include:

• Possibility of error: although it is an innovative technology, AI can make mistakes and generate responses that are not 100% consistent
• Misuse: students can use artificial intelligence resources to generate the final product, instead of seeing them as a tool to optimize their own creations
• Access issues: the use of AI in public educational institutions still faces difficulties, such as access to adequate information and training, good quality internet, and tools that require paid plans.
• Risk of fraud: the ease that AI provides is so great that there is a risk of fraud in content creation and writing when students use tools like ChatGPT to create their content.
• Changes in student behavior: students may become too comfortable using AI software to complete their assignments, and this may impact their academic experiences and development as they will not be experiencing the processes fully.

Despite these drawbacks, we cannot deny the value and numerous benefits this technology offers to students in Brazil and around the world. The trend is that these tools will become increasingly widespread and present in students' daily lives across Brazil, helping to deliver education and facilitate online communication between people from the same culture and from different cultures.