A study on perceived benefits and applications of generative artificial intelligence in education

Generative artificial intelligence such as ChatGPT has been the hot topic and timely issue in education since 2023, and its potential usage in education has drawn practitioners’ attention on the benefits and threats to teaching and learning. Communication and knowledge sharing are two teaching competencies that can be assisted by artificial intelligence. It can automate routine tasks and facilitate personalized learning. While teachers often have a lot of tasks to manage, e.g., prepare and organize teaching materials, write progress reports, evaluate assignments, and grade tests, automation tools give teachers more time to teach important competencies. How to use generative artificial intelligence in education remains crucial for the development of effective learning experience. This paper will first discuss the exemplary artificial intelligence applications in education. Then, the paper examines the results of the survey on perceived benefits of artificial intelligence and ChatGPT in education. Respondents have positive attitudes toward generative artificial intelligence. ChatGPT helps students acquire answers to common questions promptly. This makes it easier for students to learn at any time without waiting on a teacher although many educators are concerned about the improper usage of artificial intelligence in students’ assignments. Finally, the paper will elaborate appropriate ways of the applications of ChatGPT in classroom.