Türkiye’s 1st AI lecturer teaches behavioral sciences

Zülal Atagün - ISTANBUL

An artificial intelligence persona designed by an academic has begun teaching behavioral science classes at a university in the central province of Sivas.

Associate Professor Dr. Sefer Darıcı from Sivas Cumhuriyet University crafted an AI-driven persona named Derya Aslan, using a large number of advanced AI models.

Darıcı, who has conferred the title of doctor upon this AI persona, highlighted that the AI-driven lecturer is capable of adeptly delivering behavioral sciences courses and can generate responses to every written query posed by students.

Referring to the most striking quality of the AI persona, Darıcı said that it gives the lecture based on the current resources, in alignment with the course content.

Highlighting the possibility of the AI persona becoming tenured in the future by Türkiye’s higher education body, Darıcı noted that they will submit their request to the rectorship for the persona to be part of the academic team.

“But of course, legal regulations will also need to be enforced for lectures, additional courses or other areas,” he explained.

He pointed out the importance of Dr. Derya’s native language being Turkish, in terms of dealing with differences in each student's learning outcomes and the topics they struggle comprehending.

"It is highly significant for the students to be able to communicate in Turkish with a human-looking artificial intelligence and have the chance to do this whenever they need,” Darıcı emphasized.

Darıcı also underscored the eventuality of the AI lecturer to have the professor title in future.

“It is possible if the AI persona gains ground as a result of the evaluation of the legal situations and the regulations in the world of artificial intelligence, through the instrumentality of the articles it generates,” he noted.