During the past summer vacation, AI learning machines were sold like hotcakes as “learning tools” for children. As the popularity of artificial intelligence soars, AI learning machine stores are popping up everywhere, and major brands are also making plans. Behind the popularity, some people liked and recommended it, while others shook their heads and called it the "IQ tax." Is it worth it for parents to spend thousands or tens of thousands of yuan to buy an AI learning machine for their children? Recently, reporters conducted interviews.
Citizens purchase AI learning machines in stores. Photo by reporter Ye Cheng
Merchant: "You can't use Taiwan to calculate, you have to use millions of yuan to calculate."
Recently, in an AI learning machine store in Baolong Plaza, Taijiang District, Fuzhou citizen Ms. Liu was taking her children to experience the picture book learning function. The lively cartoon images and customs clearance procedures firmly attracted the children's attention. But when she saw the price of more than 8,000 yuan, Ms. Liu couldn't help but hesitate: "Let's compare and contrast again."
What is the intelligence of the expensive AI learning machine? Chen Pei, a salesperson at the store, gave a demonstration on answering questions. Based on the wrong questions, the device can intelligently analyze the knowledge points that the answerer has not mastered, and then provide corresponding on-demand thinking and question banks to provide personalized training. "When a child hesitates on one option, the learning machine will also capture and analyze it." She said as she changed the newly checked option A to option B.
"To be honest, today's parents attach great importance to their children's learning. If they can make any progress, they will spend a lot of effort." Chen Pei said frankly that the store business was very good during the past summer vacation. The type is particularly popular. When a reporter asked how many units she had sold this summer, she responded without hesitation: "You can't calculate it in terms of units, you have to calculate it in millions of dollars."
In another AI learning machine store in Suning Plaza, the reporter experienced the intelligent correction function of the learning machine: Place a paper composition under the camera extending from the top of the learning machine. In about a minute, the learning machine will automatically scan and mark There are typos, incoherent sentences, and better rhetorical descriptions.
Functions such as word search and translation, intelligent question setting, and intelligent question and answer are also common in AI learning machines. Some learning machines also have the function of checking students' article recitation. However, the reporter noticed that the intelligent opinions put forward by some learning machines are only rough directional descriptions and require further explanation and guidance from parents so that children can understand how to make better corrections.
According to data released by the Ministry of Commerce, online retail sales of my country’s AI learning machines increased by 136.6% in the first half of the year. The market demand is strong, and brand merchants have entered the market one after another. The reporter used the mobile phone map to search for keywords such as "AI learning machine" and nearly 30 search results popped up. Many learning machines on the market have begun to display AI signs. One type is emerging technology companies represented by iFlytek, Xiaodu, etc., which have large model technology advantages and focus on homework guidance. The other type is companies with certain accumulation of educational data resources such as Xueersi, which independently develop The curriculum system has become its main selling point.
Parents: "Children are not aware of themselves" affects the effectiveness of use
This summer vacation, Chen Jie bought an AI learning machine for his child who has just entered sixth grade. “When I was browsing Douyin, links to the AI learning machine always popped up. My friends also said it was good, so I bought one and gave it a try.” At the beginning of the semester, she plans to take her children to use the AI learning machine more plannedly on weekends. .
Compared with tablets, Chen Jie believes that AI learning machines have stronger back-end supervision functions. “When learning on tablets or mobile phones, children click on messy websites and download inexplicable games, and parents don’t know. But AI The learning machine can be connected to parents’ mobile phones, and parents’ consent is required to download software. It can also count and monitor software usage time.”
As for the intelligent correction function of the AI learning machine, Chen Jie does not use it much at present. But seeing his children's homework getting more and more difficult, and some even beyond his own knowledge, Chen Jie sometimes felt helpless. He thought that hiring a teacher would be a big investment, so he might as well let the learning machine try to answer the questions first. .
Liu Xin, who is also the mother of a primary school student, has two children and two learning machines. With her busy work schedule, she sometimes has to worry about one thing while taking care of her children. It is also a helpless move for her to let her children use learning machines. "If I have time, I would be more willing to accompany and educate my children in person." Liu Xin said.
So is the AI learning machine useful? Many parents believe that it depends on "whether the child is conscious or not." "Whether a child can sit still or not directly determines how much the child uses the machine." Liu Xin said, for example, his own children may only be able to use 20 to 30% of the time, but the more conscious children around him can use 40% of the machine. Fifty percent, or even more.
But when children have higher needs for knowledge, the AI learning machine may not be able to help. Liu Xin said that his eldest son likes to learn extracurricular knowledge. AI learning machines often provide some basic content, such as a historical story. The learning machine may only tell you part of it. If you want to continue to understand more, you still need the children and parents to find it themselves. .
Industry insiders: Parents should not blindly follow the trend
In May this year, Pan Helin, a member of the Information and Communication Economics Expert Committee of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, told the media: "At this stage, apart from shielding entertainment functions, AI learning machines do not have any unique advantages over online AI large models."
Some people in the industry also believe that the current AI learning machine is just a shell of a large model, and many functions were common before the concept of artificial intelligence emerged. The reason why artificial intelligence is emphasized is that in addition to using artificial intelligence as a market gimmick, it is also an important purpose to avoid policy restrictions. Because once real-time interaction occurs, it becomes an online course, which is suspected of violating regulations.
As the head of the Fuzhou Branch of the China Science and Technology Training Center, Lin Pan has been engaged in cultivating students' scientific literacy for a long time. He believes that AI learning opportunities have certain auxiliary functions in targeted exercise training, especially in middle and high schools. But after all, it is just a tool to assist learning. Don’t place too much expectations on it, let alone ignore it. “AI learning machines cannot replace students’ thinking, they can only assist them.”
"Whether it's worth buying an AI learning machine for tens of thousands of dollars depends on the attitude and method of use." Lin Pan said. He suggested that parents who have purchased the equipment should have a comprehensive understanding and study of the equipment, and then effectively use it. Guide and supervise children to use devices correctly and think more creatively on AI conclusions. If you can use a machine to learn more new knowledge and open more "windows" to understand the world, why not?
"Parents who have not purchased an AI learning machine should not blindly follow the trend and fall into the marketing trap of merchants. Blindly not only wastes money, but may also trigger a comparison mentality among students." He said that parents should comprehensively consider the price, the quality of their children, and the price. Learn autonomy, study time and interests, etc., and make rational consumption judgments.