From Tutor to Tool: Can AI Transform Learning Without Replacing Human Thinking?

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a revolutionary force in education, transforming teaching, learning, and assessment. In medical education, AI introduces personalisation through adaptive learning models, intelligent tutoring systems, virtual reality simulations, and generative tools such as ChatGPT. They enable personalised feedback, collaborative learning, and a simulated clinical practice environment, thereby significantly improving access and the quality of training. Alongside its potential, AI also raises fundamental concerns, such as plagiarism, overreliance, privacy breaches, algorithmic bias, and gaps in accountability. Existing policies for the use of AI remain patchy, with initiatives by UNESCO, WHO, and the European Commission. In Pakistan, proposed AI policies aim to integrate AI into healthcare and education, although enforcement remains limited. Ultimately, AI must be promoted as a helpful tool rather than an alternative to human thinking, with proper guidelines, AI literacy, and ethical frameworks to support a human-centred approach for the future in education and medicine.