Assam's First AI Teacher's Quick Responses Impress Students, Faculty

Assam got its first artificial intelligence teacher, Iris, who impressed the students and staff at a private school in Guwahati with her knowledge bank and prompt responses. Dressed in the traditional Assamese saree called Mekhala Chador and a big red bindi, the humanoid showcases not only the scientific prowess of India but also represents Assam's cultural pride. In a video posted by BJP leader Pijush Hazarika on X (Twitter), Iris could be seen answering a barrage of questions from students with ease. "The education scenario will get upgraded & enhanced to a great extent," the MLA remarked.

Watch Iris In Action

At a private institution called Royal Global School, Iris introduced herself and interacted with the students, answering their numerous curiosities. "Whether the questions were from their syllabus or about anything, 'Iris' provided answers in no time and with examples and references," a spokesperson for the school told the media. 

Its Remarkable!

With the introduction of AI teacher, the education scenario will get upgraded & enhanced to a great extent. pic.twitter.com/Zm6HDwxWuE

— Pijush Hazarika (Modi ka Parivar) (@Pijush_hazarika) May 27, 2024

Iri was developed in collaboration with Makerlabs Edu-tech under the Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL) project by NITI Aayog. The humanoid is equipped with a voice-controlled assistant which can give swift responses to student queries. The introduction of Iris to classrooms has been hailed as a significant leap in educational technology. 

Sir, it's a very good sign for our education system. 👌👌

— Anita Devi (@anitadevi1020) May 27, 2024

Sir it's optimistic about the future of the quality education.

— GAURAANGAA POBAN BARUAH (@gaurangapoban) May 28, 2024

The first Iris AI teacher was introduced in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram in March 2024. The humanoid is reportedly fluent in three languages and equipped with features that transcend conventional teaching methods. Markerlabs said in an Instagram post, "IRIS embodies our commitment to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible."

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Mixed Reactions To AI Teacher

Seems more like a distraction and toy which can be afforded only by rich schools. It's basically Alexa inside a mannequin. Providing free alexa's to govt schools will excite the underprivileged students more.

— JBarua (@J2Barua) May 28, 2024

The advent of AI in education is indeed promising, but values & ethics cannot be taught by machines alone.

Real-life teachers play a pivotal role in modeling & reinforcing positive behaviors, creating a nurturing environment where students can thrive both academically & morally.

— Amit Misra (@amit6060) March 7, 2024

I find it funny because teachers can't be replaced by robots at least in India for another 20 years. I can bet. Indian students are barely paying attention to human teachers, so imagine how a robot will deal with these mischievous students. That's a whole new level of challenge!

— Itu Rathore (@iturathore) March 7, 2024

It's exciting to see how advancements like this can enhance learning experiences and potentially revolutionize teaching methods.

— United Indian (@TheUnitedIndia2) March 7, 2024

Telangana State-Run School Headmaster Launches AI-Driven Campaign To Boost Enrollment

In another instance showcasing the progress of edu-tech, the headmaster of a Zilla Parishad school in Telangana's Rajanna Sircilla district launched a social media campaign with an AI-generated spokesperson. Kadarla Suryanarayana of the Zilla Parishad High School at Vattemla said that the idea is to promote government-run educational institutions.

Suryanarayana told The Hans India, “My daughter, who is pursuing B Tech, motivated and guided me on how to use AI to create a video. In the video, the AI anchor explains in Telugu the salient features of the school, such as English medium instruction, mid-day meals, free textbooks, two pairs of school uniforms, digital lessons through the T-Sat channel, and so on."