A new study by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology has found that brief pre-class conversations with AI instructors can produce learning results comparable to those achieved through interaction with human teachers.

Published in Neuron, the research showed that students who spent 8 to 10 minutes interacting with either a human or AI instructor before watching an online lecture demonstrated stronger brain synchronisation and improved learning performance compared with students who had no prior interaction.

The study involved 57 university students, with researchers monitoring their brain activity and eye movements through MRI scans during video lessons. The AI instructor, powered by GPT-4 technology, was designed with realistic speech, appearance and real-time interaction abilities.

Although students reported feeling less socially connected to the AI instructor and showed lower visual focus during lessons, researchers found that their recall, comprehension and knowledge transfer results remained equally strong, demonstrating AI’s ability to effectively support digital learning experiences.