Will AI Be Your Child's Next History Teacher?

AI is taking the world by storm, threatening to fundamentally rewrite many paradigms. What if children could actually talk to historical figures through AI, learning through conversations with famous figures? This fun video takes a look at one of the first attempts at that. 

Coming to you from Vlogging Through History, this neat video embarks on a fascinating journey to explore the potential of artificial intelligence as a tool for learning history. The video is not just an exploration of technology but a critical examination of AI's role in education, particularly in teaching history to the younger generation.

The video delves into the world of AI, using a platform called Character.AI to interact with AI versions of historical figures like Ulysses S. Grant, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Woodrow Wilson. Through these interactions, it aims to assess how accurately AI can represent historical facts and personalities, posing as a virtual history teacher.

Each segment of the video presents a dialogue with an AI character, where they are asked various historical questions. For example, when conversing with the AI version of Ulysses S. Grant, the video inquires about Grant's toughest opponent. The AI's response inaccurately names Stonewall Jackson, highlighting a significant flaw in AI's historical knowledge. This interaction, among others, serves as a critical test of AI's reliability in delivering accurate historical information.

As the video progresses, it becomes evident that while AI can simulate conversations with historical figures, it often lacks depth and accuracy in its responses. This observation raises essential questions about AI's current limitations in understanding and interpreting complex historical narratives and facts. It shows that while AI holds remarkable potential in many fields, its application in teaching history is still in its infancy. The video suggests that AI, at this stage, cannot replace human teachers in providing nuanced and accurate historical education. However, it also opens up possibilities for AI as a supplementary tool in learning, offering interactive and engaging ways to explore history.

While AI can be a powerful tool with many applications, it still has a long way to go in accurately representing historical facts. The experiment serves as a reminder of the importance of careful verification and the need for human oversight in AI-generated content.

Alex Cooke's picture

Alex Cooke is a Cleveland-based portrait, events, and landscape photographer. He holds an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a doctorate in Music Composition. He is also an avid equestrian.

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2 Comments

But who would be responsible for the conversational content? It would be possible to zero in on the negative. Example: Harry s Truman had a habit of calling people a SOB. How about Hitler's anti-semitic statements? Too much open ground, IMHO.

It is important to understand that AI is not quite implemented yet.
An artificial part - yes; the intelligence - not yet, not at all.