How Gifted Students Harness AI: Opportunities, Challenges, and Future Prospects

Abstract

In this study, we delve into the opportunities, challenges and prospects of gifted students in middle and secondary school in tapping artificial intelligence (AI). The first part introduces AI and its role in education and discusses how school students need to understand and use AI effectively. The second part examines the concept of giftedness and the characteristics of gifted students. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, administering questionnaires to two groups: It provides gifted students and peers with average IQs. Results show that gifted students often use AI tools (ChatGPT primarily) as tools to advance their learning and to self-explore, whereas, for non-gifted students (average IQ), AI is predominantly used for completing their homework. While all groups can see the value of AI in increasing engagement and motivation, they all also struggle with difficulties, like technical problems and privacy problems. The implications are that personalized feedback and effective inclusion of AI tools within an educational curriculum are both critical. The findings conclude that AI tools should be integrated into school curricula to boost students' ability in personalizing learning, boost learning by means of creativity, and augment technological competence of students. For AI to be effectively integrated, professional development of educators becomes very important. Finally, the study supports for learning environment, which is both collaborative and innovative and uses AI to support students' diverse needs.