Bill Gates, Microsoft’s co-founder, predicts that AI chatbots could revolutionize children’s literacy education within the next 18 months. Speaking at the ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego, he envisioned AI reaching a proficiency level comparable to human tutors.

Recent advancements in AI chatbots, like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard, have showcased their ability to match human intelligence in certain standardized tests. While traditionally, computers struggled with teaching writing due to their inability to mimic human cognition, modern AI chatbots can now emulate human-like language patterns.

Kevin Roose, a tech columnist for the New York Times, has leveraged ChatGPT to refine his writing by tapping into its rapid online style guide searches. Additionally, some scholars commend chatbots for their capacity to provide concise feedback, summarize texts, or even draft complete essays.

However, Gates emphasized the need for AI to further hone its language comprehension and generation skills to effectively engage and motivate students. Interestingly, while one might expect chatbots to master math before literacy, AI often stumbles with mathematical computations. Gates clarified that while chatbots can recall pre-existing math solutions from their training data, generating new solutions demands enhanced reasoning capabilities.

Gates remains optimistic about the technology’s evolution in the upcoming years. He envisions AI chatbots democratizing private tutoring, making it accessible and affordable for a broader student demographic. While basic chatbot versions are currently available for free, Gates anticipates premium versions emerging with a fee, yet still more cost-effective than traditional human tutoring.