Category: Blog

In the AI pioneers project we are frequently asked for examples of the use of AI in vocational education and training. Good case studies are not easy to come from. But Bolton College, a further education institution in the UK, has run a series of projects around using chatbots. They are currently beta-testing a platform that empowers teachers, students, and administrators to create and share generative AI chatbots tailored to their academic and operational needs. The project is funded by the UK UFI Voc Tech Trust. This project not only highlights the practical applications of AI in education but also […]

The recently published2025 Student Generative AI Survey, conducted by the Higher Education Policy Institute in the UK and authored by Josh Freeman, reveals interesting trends in how undergraduate students are using AI tools in their studies. Building on the 2024 survey, this year’s report highlights a significant surge in AI adoption, with 92% of students now using AI in some form – up from 66% a year ago. The findings offer insights for educators, policymakers, and institutions in navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of AI in higher education. AI Adoption Soars, But Challenges Remain The survey, which polled 1,041 full-time […]

An article in the Financial Times by Carnegie Mellon University Professors Laurence Ales and Christophe Combemale says Generative AI is different from past automation and requires a shift from what AI can do to what it should do. They put forward four pivotal questions for organisations when contemplating automation with Generative AI. First, how complex is the task? Second, how frequent is the task? Third, how interconnected are the tasks? Fourth, when executing a task, what is the cost of failure? These questions, they say, should guide companies considering automation and help explain why GenAI affects certain occupations more than […]

One fear from researcher in educational technology and AI is lock in. It happened before. Companies compete in giving a good deal for applications and services but lack of interoperability leaves educational organisation stuck if they want to get out or change providers. It was big news at one time with Learning Management Systems (LMS) but slowly the movement towards standards largely overcame that issue. But with the big tech AI companies still searching for convincing real world use cases and turning their eyes on education it seems it may be happening again. OpenAI have said it will roll out […]