Conversational AI chatbots have the potential to greatly improve and enhance the educational sector in a variety of ways. One key benefit is their ability to provide immediate support to students, answering questions and offering explanations on a wide range of topics. This can help to clarify concepts and improve understanding, leading to better performance and enhanced learning experiences. Additionally, AI chatbots can act as virtual teaching assistants, supporting educators by synthesizing ideas, developing timelines of action items, and providing differing perspectives or critiques of the team's ideas.
Furthermore, the use of conversational AI and natural language processing in chatbots can help to foster student engagement and offer support. These AI-driven programs, tailored for educational settings, aim to provide enriched learning experiences. In fact, chatbots have been used in education since the early 1970s, and recent advances in AI have paved the way for the integration of text-based and voice-enabled chatbots as adaptive virtual tutors in education. Despite the increasing use of AI-powered chatbots in language learning, there is still a lack of studies exploring the attitudes and perceptions of students and educators towards their use. However, it is clear that conversational AI chatbots have the potential to greatly benefit the educational sector by providing immediate support, acting as virtual teaching assistants, and fostering student engagement.