In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has made an extraordinary leap – moving from laboratories and technology fairs, into lecture halls, libraries, and even students’ study rooms. What we once perceived as the future is now actively shaping the present of education. Students use it to write essays, search for sources, solve exercises, and even create visual explanations. Lecturers, on the other hand, incorporate it into lesson planning, automated marking, the design of personalised tasks, and the creation of multimedia materials that make classes more engaging.
The year 2025 has brought a clear answer to the question of whether AI will transform education — not only it will, but it is already doing so. However, a major challenge for the academic community remains: how to integrate it in a way that maintains high standards of knowledge, encourages critical thinking, and prevents excessive dependence on technology (Cengage Group, 2025).
This article brings together insights from the latest research, presents the most important trends, and offers concrete advice on how to use AI thoughtfully and effectively – both in learning and teaching.
What Does the Research Say?
Research confirms that artificial intelligence enhances learning outcomes. A meta-analysis of 13 empirical studies conducted across eight countries revealed a distinctly positive effect on students’ performance (Hedges’ g = 0.86) (Wang & Fan, 2025). The use of intelligent tutoring systems, automated feedback, and generative assistants has been shown to improve understanding, boost motivation, and reduce dropout rates from study programmes.
An even more extensive meta-analysis of 51 studies confirms that ChatGPT functions not only as a tool but as a genuine learning partner. Its use not only improves performance (g = 0.867) but also fosters the development of higher-order thinking skills such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation (Li et al., 2025).
The new generation of systems brings another crucial shift: AI no longer provides just an answer but can explain it transparently. The combination of explainable-AI (XAI) techniques and generative intelligence increases users’ trust and enables a deeper understanding of the learning material (Mosleh et al., 2025).
At the same time, it is becoming clear that ethical guidelines are indispensable. An example from India (IIT Delhi) shows that with the widespread use of AI — adopted by as many as 80% of students and 77% of lecturers — universities are introducing regulations that require the mandatory disclosure of AI use, additional training in ethical application, and the inclusion of AI literacy within curricula. The goal is to prevent plagiarism and to promote the responsible use of technology (Times of India, 2025).
Key Trends in AI-Enhanced Education
Among the main trends is personalized learning, which adapts pace, difficulty, and content format to each individual student. Generative content enriches the learning process with book summaries, interactive quizzes, and visual explanations, while virtual tutors and avatars are available to students around the clock, supporting multilingual communication. Automated assessment and feedback enable faster knowledge checks and save lecturers valuable time for mentoring and guidance. Ethics and transparency are also coming to the forefront, as universities increasingly introduce policies requiring the disclosure of AI use. Finally, there are tools that enhance educational accessibility: speech-to-text conversion, automatic subtitles, and translations that help overcome linguistic and sensory barriers.
How Should Students Use AI?
For students, AI can be an extremely valuable tool – but only when used thoughtfully. It is essential to view it as a mentor that guides you through complex explanations and helps you understand more challenging concepts, rather than as a shortcut that simply provides final answers. Strive to ask clear, precise questions; the quality of the answer is always determined by the quality of the question. Keep in mind that AI is not infallible, so always verify information using reliable sources and academic literature. It is particularly beneficial to connect everything you gain from AI with your own notes. In this way, you create a blend of explanation and personal understanding, which leads to deeper knowledge. Do not forget critical thinking – evaluating the quality and relevance of responses is a crucial part of the learning process. And finally, be transparent. If you use AI in seminar papers or research projects, clearly acknowledge it, as honesty with yourself and others is the foundation of academic integrity.
How Should Teachers Integrate AI into Teaching?
AI also opens a wide range of new opportunities for teachers, but it is essential to integrate it strategically and responsibly. One of the best practices is to incorporate AI into the curriculum from the very beginning and to demonstrate to students how it can be used both ethically and effectively. This not only equips them with knowledge but also guides them towards responsible practice. AI can encourage research-oriented learning, from finding sources and formulating questions to creating simulations that deepen understanding of the subject matter. However, it is equally important to show students the limitations of the technology: how to recognise inaccuracies and biases in AI-generated responses.
For educators, AI also presents an opportunity to save time by preparing materials, creating quizzes, providing feedback, and even in the basic assessment. Yet it is vital to remember that human interaction is irreplaceable – AI should complement your teaching but never replace it. Finally, it is crucial to establish clear guidelines: when and how students may use AI in their coursework. This ensures transparency, prevents misunderstandings, and helps maintain academic standards.
The Most Useful Free AI Tools for Students and Teachers
Many advanced AI tools today are now available for free or offer a basic version without cost. These tools can make studying easier for students and simplify lesson preparation and assessment for teachers.
For students:
For Teachers and Lecturers:
Artificial intelligence in 2025 is no longer just a technological trend but a necessary part of education. For students, it offers opportunities for faster, more personalised, and interactive learning, while for lecturers it provides more efficient tools for preparing materials, assessment, and monitoring progress. At the same time, it teaches us an important lesson: that knowledge is not simply a collection of data, but a process of thinking, understanding, and creativity.
When used thoughtfully, AI can become an ally in fostering critical thinking, strengthening academic integrity, and opening education to a broader audience more than ever before. The future is already here – the question is whether we will be able to shape it in a way that truly serves people and knowledge.
References:
Cengage Group. (2025). AI’s impact on education in 2025. Retrieved from https://www.cengagegroup.com/news/perspectives/2025/ais-impact-on-education-in-2025/
Li, X., Zhang, Y., & Chen, M. (2025). The effect of ChatGPT on student learning: A meta-analysis. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 12(1), 77–89. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-04787-y
Mosleh, M., Devlin, M., & Solaiman, E. (2025). Transparent adaptive learning via data-centric multimodal explainable AI. arXiv:2508.00665. https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.00665
Times of India. (2025, August 1). AI but verify: Navigating the future of learning. Retrieved from https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/ai-but-verify-navigating-future-of-learning/articleshow/123080374.cms
Wang, Y., & Fan, L. (2025). Artificial intelligence in education: A meta-analysis of empirical studies. ERIC. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1465704.pdf
