UNAIR NEWS – Artificial Intelligence (AI) is advancing rapidly each year. In fact, many believe that in the near future, AI could take over the roles of educators—including teachers and university lecturers—as access to knowledge and information becomes increasingly seamless through AI-driven platforms.
Addressing this issue, Professor Dr. Tuti Budirahayu, Dra., M.Si., a leading scholar in Educational Sociology at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP), Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR), shared her insights. She emphasized that the evolution of technologies like AI is both natural and unavoidable.
“We can’t escape technological and informational progress—it’s not realistic to reject it entirely. Instead, we must learn to embrace it, understand it more deeply, and seek ways to develop and use it wisely. That said, we must also stay grounded in our identity as human beings,” she explained.
Supportive tool
In the context of modern education, Prof. Budirahayu stressed that as intelligent beings, humans should view AI strictly as a tool. “If we’re afraid AI might replace us as teachers and lecturers, I believe that fear is a bit naïve. If we start depending entirely on robots or AI, we risk losing our own human essence,” she said.
Despite AI’s impressive capabilities, Prof. Budirahayu maintains that it should be used as a support system, not a substitute. Humans must remain in control and use AI thoughtfully. “AI can certainly serve as a guide, but it’s up to us to turn that guidance into something more meaningful—something with soul,” she noted.
Educator competence
As AI continues to evolve, Prof. Budirahayu emphasized that educators, too, must keep learning and growing. “Humans have been given the ability by God to learn and adapt. We should continue evolving—not remain idle just because AI is available. It’s essential that we keep seeking knowledge from various sources and engage with others,” she said.
She believes that as humans gain more life and professional experience, their capacity for critical thinking also grows. “Will AI ever match that? I don’t think so. What we really need is a strong sense of curiosity and a desire for continuous learning,” she added.
Prof. Budirahayu also believes that experienced educators play a vital role in filtering and contextualizing the vast amount of information available to students. “It’s a shared learning experience. Senior educators bring wisdom from years of experience, while younger ones contribute fresh knowledge. We should work together,” she said.
Although the rise of AI presents challenges, Prof. Budirahayu hopes that educators will remain committed to enhancing their skills and not become overly dependent on technology. “That’s our challenge—we can’t remain static. We must continue to grow and avoid becoming reliant on AI. Because if our work lacks the human element, it ultimately lacks substance,” she concluded.
Author: Mohammad Adif Albarado
Editor: Yulia Rohmawati