The Truth About AI in Education: What the Research Actually Says | Dr. Ismael Sanz

Dr. Ismael Sanz, Full Professor in the Department of Applied Economics I at Rey Juan Carlos University of Madrid, Visiting Senior Fellow in the Department of Social Policy at the London School of Economics (LSE), and Research Associate at FUNCAS, shares his insights on Artificial Intelligence in Education: Computer-Assisted Learning and AI-Guided Tutors. Artificial intelligence holds remarkable promise for transforming education, but its impact depends entirely on how it is implemented. Research by Dr. Ismael Sanz and his collaborators reveals that AI-powered tools like the "Detective" platform in Spain can meaningfully accelerate student learning, particularly in mathematics, where adaptive algorithms deliver personalized feedback equivalent to five months of additional learning. However, a landmark randomized control trial in Turkey by Vastani et al. sounded a clear warning: students given unrestricted access to ChatGPT to complete their homework suffered a 17% decline in performance, roughly four months of learning loss, once that access was removed, a phenomenon researchers call "cognitive offloading". By contrast, students who used AI only for guidance and questioning continued to improve. The evidence is unambiguous, AI succeeds when it acts as a thinking partner, not a thinking replacement, and when it is backed by trained, willing teachers and integrated thoughtfully into the curriculum from the ground up. This podcast is brought to you by Global Management Consultancy. Disclaimer: 1. The background music incorporated in this video is the intellectual property of its respective developer and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Notwithstanding that it is a free-to-use version, Business Talk, Global Management Consultancy, and Deepak Bhatt do not own, and expressly do not claim, any rights, title, or interest in or to this music. 2. Dr. Ismael Sanz shared key insights from his research, “Artificial intelligence in education: computer-assisted learning and AI-guided tutors”, in an engaging episode of the Business Talk podcast. The uploaded video contains copyrighted content, so changing any graphics, music, or on-screen appearance of the author or host is not allowed.