Always a Beginner: Innovation and Adaptation in Collaboration with AI for Student and Teacher Success
Dr. George Banks
Lifelong Learning, AI-Enhanced Education, Interdisciplinary Innovation
Dr.George Banks
Dr. George Banks’s journey with artificial intelligence has been one of continuous discovery and reinvention—a journey that blends curiosity, practical application, and a deep commitment to education. Over the past decade at UNC Charlotte, Dr. Banks has immersed himself in the evolving landscape of AI, where each new breakthrough feels like stepping into uncharted territory.
From his early days, Dr. Banks embraced AI not merely as a tool but as a partner in interdisciplinary research. He recalls the moment he first ventured beyond the confines of his own discipline. At UNC Charlotte, where collaboration across fields is celebrated, he began working alongside experts from computer science, management, and beyond. “When you’re constantly exposed to new models and approaches, every day feels like you’re starting over,” he mused. Despite his considerable experience, Dr. Banks proudly calls himself “always a beginner,” a testament to his belief that the rapid pace of innovation requires perpetual learning.
One of his most transformative projects was integrating AI into the classroom to enhance public speaking and leadership skills. Recognizing that traditional methods of critiquing a speech often fall short, Dr. Banks and his team devised a system that uses AI to score language and analyze speech patterns. In this innovative setup, undergraduate students draft their speeches and then undergo a detailed evaluation process. The AI doesn’t just count words; it examines metaphors, similes, rhetorical questions, and contrasts—elements that contribute to a speaker’s charisma and persuasive power.
The process doesn’t stop with a simple score. After receiving AI-generated feedback, students refine their work, gradually mastering the art of communication. To take this a step further, Dr. Banks incorporated virtual reality headsets into the learning experience. This technology simulates a real-world audience, offering immediate, data-driven insights into aspects such as speaking cadence and voice projection. For many students, this multimodal approach not only reduces the anxiety of public speaking but also turns the art of oration into a measurable, improvable skill.
However, the path of progress is rarely without challenges. Dr. Banks has encountered his fair share of obstacles, particularly in the area of model training. Even with the promise of pre-trained models, he explains that refining and fine-tuning these systems remains a time-consuming process. Data preprocessing, model calibration, and the integration of diverse data types—ranging from text and audio to facial expressions—present hurdles that require both technical acumen and creative problem-solving. In one memorable instance, while working on a project that aimed to triangulate emotional responses, he had to reconcile the sometimes contradictory signals from different data streams. This complexity, he notes, is both a challenge and an opportunity, urging researchers to push the boundaries of what AI can achieve.
Looking ahead, Dr. Banks envisions a future where AI becomes more accessible yet remains a tool that enhances rather than replaces human intellect. He advocates for a balanced approach in education, one that teaches students how to use AI while ensuring they grasp the underlying principles. “It’s like wearing an Apple Watch,” he explains—AI should nudge you towards improvement without letting you turn off your critical thinking skills. For Dr. Banks, the ultimate goal is to foster an environment where innovation and understanding go hand in hand, enabling the next generation of scholars and practitioners to harness AI responsibly and creatively.
Dr. George Banks
Through his work, Dr. George Banks has not only advanced the practical applications of AI in education and research but also instilled a spirit of lifelong learning in his students and colleagues. His journey is a reminder that in the rapidly changing world of technology, every new model and method is both a challenge and a doorway to deeper understanding—a doorway that Dr. Banks has eagerly stepped through time and again.