Key Takeaways:
- Chinese parents are using AI-powered chatbots, such as Dola, to monitor and assist their children with homework, with around 172 million monthly users.
- The app helps parents keep track of their children’s progress, provides guidance, and checks homework, reducing the need for private tutoring and easing pressure on parents.
- Some parents believe the app helps avoid conflict with their children, as the AI bot speaks in a calm tone, reducing tension and frustration.
- Experts warn that AI should be used as a tool, not a substitute for parental supervision, and that excessive interaction with AI can hinder social skills and emotional development.
- Developers must ensure AI products designed for children include limits on usage time, age-appropriate language, and safeguards against harmful content.
Introduction to AI-Powered Homework Assistance
The use of AI-powered chatbots to assist with homework is becoming increasingly popular in China, with many parents turning to apps like Dola to help their children with their studies. Lu Qijun, a television journalist, is one such parent who uses the app to monitor her son’s homework when she is busy. The app, which is owned by ByteDance, the company behind TikTok, uses a camera to monitor the child’s behavior and provides guidance and feedback on their work. With around 172 million monthly users, Dola is just one example of the growing trend of AI-powered homework assistance in China.
The Appeal of AI-Powered Homework Assistance
The appeal of AI-powered homework assistance is not just about convenience, but also about the economic benefits. As China’s economic growth slows, many families are reassessing how much they can afford to spend on education. Private tutoring, once a common practice among China’s urban middle-class households, has become harder to justify, even as many students continue to spend several hours a day on schoolwork and extracurricular classes. AI-powered homework assistance apps like Dola offer a more affordable alternative, allowing parents to upload parenting books and study materials and tailor the app’s guidance to their child’s needs.
Avoiding Conflict with Children
Some parents also believe that AI-powered homework assistance apps help avoid conflict with their children. Wu Yuting, a mother from the central province of Henan, says that her children behave better in front of the AI bot, which speaks in a calm tone, reducing tension and frustration. This is in contrast to the traditional approach, where parents are expected to sit beside their children and monitor their homework, often leading to conflict and frustration. However, experts warn that while AI can be a useful tool, it should not be used as a substitute for parental supervision, and that excessive interaction with AI can hinder social skills and emotional development.
The Importance of Boundaries
Experts emphasize the importance of setting clear boundaries when using AI-powered homework assistance apps. Dr. Qi Jing, an associate professor at the Social Equity Research Centre at RMIT University, notes that AI lacks the contextual understanding needed to replace the supervision of parents or teachers. Jeannie Paterson, co-director of the Centre for AI and Digital Ethics at the University of Melbourne, warns that excessive interaction with AI can weaken children’s engagement with the real world and hinder the development of essential social skills. Developers must ensure that AI products designed for children include limits on usage time, age-appropriate language, and safeguards against harmful content.
The Future of AI-Powered Education
As AI becomes more widely used in education, it is likely that we will see more apps and tools like Dola emerge. While these tools can be useful, it is essential to remember that AI is a tool, not a substitute for human interaction and supervision. Parents and educators must be careful not to rely too heavily on AI, and must ensure that children are not overexposed to screens and technology. By setting clear boundaries and using AI-powered homework assistance apps judiciously, parents can help their children develop the skills and knowledge they need to succeed, while also promoting healthy social and emotional development.
