AI in the Lecture Room: Analysing Two Use Cases in the Context of Higher Education

There is artificial intelligence (AI) in the lecture room, and it cannot be ignored. With unprecedented speed, AI has made its way to the everyday practices of higher education. As such, automation and analytics are nothing new in the academic educational context. However, with more recent AI applications it has truly become impossible to ignore AI in everyday academia and to avoid rethinking pedagogical approaches and solutions. Moreover, following the COVID-19 pandemic, digital tools for higher education are now being systematically developed, with an emphasis on quality and wellbeing of students. At the same time, regulatory instruments for AI are being tailored on various levels. This chapter discusses AI in higher education from a legal perspective while addressing specific use cases. The chapter briefly touches upon the role of emotions and interaction in learning, linking this to the features of AI in education. Then, the selected use cases are analysed from a regulatory point of view. The focus of this chapter is on EU level legal instruments, alongside various ethical and self-regulatory guidelines that frame the use of AI in education. In particular, the AI Act is analysed in the context of higher education, including the relevant human rights dimensions.