While an AI mentor may have seemed unthinkable a decade ago, a comparable personal experience: dating, has now for millennials and Gen-Z shifted almost entirely online-first. Is ‘knowledge’ the next frontier?

Every day, the cumulative sum of human knowledge grows as we learn and discover more. Over time, experts dive deeper into their respective fields, making each discipline more specialized and advanced. This is leading to an ever-growing mosaic of information and skills for people to learn that is as beautiful as it is bewildering.

In this environment, learning must constantly evolve for us to keep pace and the need for accessible, on-the-spot educational resources becomes ever more pressing. Recent headlines continuously highlight the profound value of continuous or life-long learning in helping individuals navigate the multifaceted challenges of today’s world. Enter AI chatbots: the next frontier in educational evolution.

These digital mentors are equipped to instantly address queries, assisting learners from all walks of life in understanding complex topics, as and when curiosity strikes or when their careers or academic pursuits necessitate it. A decade ago, the idea of an AI entity guiding our quest for knowledge might have sounded like a distant dream. Yet, it's clear that AI chatbots are not just a passing trend but a transformative tool in the realm of learning.

From Tinder, to Bumble to countless others, we’ve already seen a once-skeptical public embrace new tech in areas of life that were hitherto unmediated by tech. Now the vast potential that new AI platforms hold can shape a future where ‘Machine Learning’ can in turn help us learn, giving us perhaps even trusted mentors and companions in the process.

A new approach to education

The emergence of digital chatbots has many intriguing aspects. Beyond customer service and assisting with basic queries, chatbots with the rapidly advancing generative AI technology, have the capability to become more than a mere alternative to 'Search’ or Google. A personalised educational mentor at your doorstep that can adapt to learning styles, preferences and pace. This adaptive quality ensures that as the learning journey progresses, so does the chatbot’s approach.

Whether this involves learning languages, exploring literature or delving deep into the history of prominent figures of the past, the chatbot can be a mentor and a steadfast companion, dedicated to the pursuits of each individual. There are already chatbots that are ‘digital clones’ of historical figures such as the Tudor monarchs Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, and great minds from history from Socrates to Spinoza, and Streaks AI is amongst the tech pioneers exploring and developing educational use cases further.

AI-powered digital versions of historic figures can replicate their knowledge and even personalities based on their published works and other sources. This means in effect that you can talk one-on-one with your favourite character or historical figure. Where better to learn about moments in history than from the figures involved themselves?

AI chatbots backed by advanced machine learning and Natural Language Processing (NLP) have new benefits that range from, 24/7 availability, instant feedback and scalability. AI is on standby around the clock, ready to assist and can near instantly evaluate and provide feedback, accelerating the learning process. Moreover, these systems can handle countless queries at once, making them a good fit for online educational platforms.

Along with supporting the more traditional aspects of education, chatbots can allow a varied learning experience. In the age of information, there is a surplus of difficult to navigate data online which often lacks engagement. The infusion of elements of entertainment into educational spaces in a way that resonates with the new generation that have apps and digital social media embedded into their daily lives is the key to bridging the gap between learning and leisure.

From diving deep into history to navigating the intricacies of languages and complex STEM topics, the capabilities of AI are only nascently being applied.

The future of conversational AI

The integration of chatbots and generative AI has heralded a fresh era of human-computer interaction, pushing the limits of what's achievable. Virtual assistants and chatbots have seamlessly transitioned into multifaceted roles, assuming the mantle of teacher, entertainer, and friend.

Their adaptive algorithms empower them to impart knowledge, engage in witty banter, and provide companionship. As educational aides, conversational AI can offer personalised learning experiences, tailoring content to individual needs.

With advancements in conversational AI, chatbots could become indispensable conduits to a vast reservoir of knowledge and with their ability to build-on pervious inputs and your past conversations with them – we may also end up forging profound connections with these bespoke guides.

Philip Blows is CEO at StreaksAI.