Math Education in the Age of AI: From Grading Answers to Understanding Student Progress

Within a relatively short time, AI has fundamentally changed math education. Students now have instant access to answers to mathematical problems, along with explanations and worked solutions. On the surface, this looks like a powerful new form of support. In practice, it also makes it easy for students to offload the thinking that mathematics learning is meant to develop. That creates a serious challenge for educators and institutions already working to improve student success after the disruptions of the pandemic.

Educational institutions around the world are grappling with how to respond. One thing is clear: AI is here to stay. It cannot be ignored, and it is forcing institutions to rethink how mathematics is taught, practiced, supported, and assessed.

One response is to suppress the use of LLMs and revert to paper assignments. That may address some immediate concerns, but it cannot be the whole answer. AI will play a major role in students’ futures, and we have a responsibility to prepare them for that world. It also misses a larger opportunity: used thoughtfully, AI can become a catalyst for improving student success rates in mathematics.