- 7 in 10 learners worried about AI in learning with women (76%) more concerned than men (70%)
- Lack of human connection and motivation, as well as sharing private data for personalized learning, top student concerns
- Gen Z (31%) most concerned about data privacy
- Over half of teachers already integrating AI or other automated tools in their teaching
NEW YORK, April 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Preply, a leading language learning marketplace, today announced the results of a global survey of online students, “AI vs. Humans in Learning: The Importance of Human Interaction”. Preply’s platform connects 40,000 tutors with hundreds of thousands of learners in every country worldwide and has raised over 170 million dollars in funding. The in-depth report provides both teacher and learner perspectives on the benefits and fears associated with this technology, revealing the demand for human-led learning experiences prevails.
Globally, 73% of online students are concerned about using AI in education - with levels varying significantly from country to country. Spain has the highest level of concern at 80%. The U.S. and Germany rest in the middle with 77% and 71% respectively, while countries like Brazil and Turkey are least concerned, both at 63%. 76% of women express apprehension toward using AI compared with only 70% of men, and generationally the level is similar, with Gen Z being most concerned (74%), followed by Millennials (73%) and Gen X (72%).
When survey respondents were asked about their top fears about AI in learning, 32% stated a lack of human connection and a resulting loss of motivation as their primary concern. In second place was data privacy (12%). Worries about a learning experience not personalized to their needs and a mistrust of AI accuracy both came in at 9% respectively. Taken together, addressing privacy issues and fostering trust in AI systems is a priority within educational settings.
Despite the concerns, students do recognize the value of embracing AI in education. 47% of those surveyed cite affordability as the #1 benefit of using AI in learning, followed by the convenience of on-demand learning (45%), the ability to adjust learning to individual needs (45%), getting immediate feedback (39%), and the ability to learn faster (38%).
“AI’s ability to scale and personalize means there’s no doubt it will superpower the learning ecosystems of the future,” said Kirill Bigai, co-founder and CEO of Preply. “While we see immense interest and higher-than-expected adoption of our proprietary AI tools at Preply, we are all still at the beginning of this journey. And as students are so clearly telling us, the value of human connection cannot be overstated. The shared jokes, mutual understanding, sense of companionship, and the relatability of conversing with a real person all drive outcomes. Preply revenues grew tenfold between 2020 and 2023, with learners coming to us en-masse, having abandoned platforms like Duolingo due to lost motivation and a lack of meaningful progress.”
More than half (52%) of one cohort of educators - English language teachers - are using AI or other automated tools to help them teach. Australian teachers lead the pack with 63% using AI and automated tools, with the US coming in at 58%, and the Middle East and North Africa coming in at 55%. However, across Europe, the incorporation of AI among teachers is lower, standing at 41%. The top tasks teachers are using AI for are creating grammar or vocabulary exercises (41%), language training assistance (36%), and creating reading & listening activities for students (35%). Only 27% are using AI tools to automate the grading of assignments, demonstrating that a human understanding of how a student is progressing is still top of mind for the majority of teachers.
Survey Methodology
Preply conducted its “AI vs. Humans in Learning” survey with 2,503 people across the U.S., Spain, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Brazil who are actively engaged in learning online, in August 2023. The margin of error is +/- 1.83%.
Preply also surveyed 1,035 professional teachers across 40 different countries who teach English as a foreign language in August 2023. The margin of error is +/- 2.97%
About Preply
Preply is an online language learning marketplace, connecting tutors to hundreds of thousands of learners in 180 countries worldwide. More than 40,000 tutors teach over 50 languages, powered by a machine-learning algorithm that recommends the best tutors for each learner. Founded in the United States in 2012 by three Ukrainian founders Kirill Bigai, Serge Lukyanov, and Dmytro Voloshyn, Preply has grown from a team of 3 to a company of over 650 employees of over 60 different nationalities with offices in New York, Barcelona and Kyiv.
