Kazakh National Women’s Teacher Training University Explores the Future of AI at AICET

AICET recently welcomed a four-member delegation from the Kazakh National Women’s Teacher Training University, led by junior scientific member Gaini Azimova. The visit served as an invaluable opportunity for the team to gain significant inspiration and clarity regarding the application of Artificial Intelligence and Natural Language Processing (NLP) to advance linguistic research and translation quality.

Professor Ben’s Vision: A Human-Centric AI Era

The highlight of the visit was a compelling presentation by Professor Ben Leong. Addressing the evolution of technology, he urged a necessary paradigm shift within the academic community:

• The “People Problem”: Professor Ben assertively stated that “The effective adoption of AI is fundamentally a people problem, not a technology problem”.
• Focus on Human Skills: As AI continues to automate technical tasks, Professor Ben emphasized that the focus of research and education must pivot toward crucial human skills such as empathy, critical thinking, and communication.
• AI as an Enabler: Rather than viewing AI as a replacement for human expertise, Professor Ben explained that it should be seen as a powerful tool to enhance human capabilities and maximize potential.

The delegation showed particular interest in AICET’s specialized tools, SoftMark, Cikgo and ScholAIstic. Professor Ben provided a practical illustration of these technologies through a live demonstration of ScholAIstic, through a Real-Time Coaching use-case. The demonstration featured an AI chatbot providing real-time coaching for a simulated professional consultation. The delegation observed the final evaluation and a summary of the live session, showcasing the practical application of AI in professional development and linguistic assessment.

Strengthening Global Academic Collaboration for the Future

Following the presentation, the delegation and Professor Ben discussed potential avenues for collaboration between their NLP project and AICET. Professor Ben shared insights into AICET’s current collaborative activities with Singapore’s Ministry of Education (MOE), explaining how these partnerships drive innovation in the public sector.

Expressing a positive outlook on future-oriented collaboration, Professor Ben welcomed the opportunity to share academic knowledge and technology to further the advancement of linguistic research and AI integration.