Roberto Hortal, Director of Chief Products and Technologies at Wall Street English, on the reasons why AV technology must be used alongside AI in class
There is a lot of optimism around AI in education, but counting on AI alone will not unlock its full potential. According to my experience, the real challenge is that AI tools cannot provide effective learning without the right environment. This is where AV technology plays a crucial role. It creates interactive and immersive spaces that help AI support educators rather than replacing them. Without this foundation, the overuse of the risks of AI weakening the very skills that education should be built.
AI does not teach, people do it. Teachers provide empathy, judgment and responsiveness that no algorithm can reproduce. AI can help with routine tasks and data analysis, but it should never be positioned as a substitute for man -led learning. When AI tries to replace teachers, the result is often shallow. It may seem effective, but it strips the experience of learning meaning.
I have seen many organizations rush to deploy generative AI tools without clear objectives, hoping for quick victories. But most often, it creates more noise than value. Overxploitation does not slow things down, it keeps away from the skills that we should protect.
In education, the issues are even higher. If students count too much on the content generated by AI, they may lose to develop creativity, critical thinking and problem solving. It is not only “nice to have”, it is the very things that education should build.
AI success
The success of AI in education depends just as much on the environment in which it is used as on the tool itself. This is where AV technology becomes vital. Well-integrated AV tools such as short-term projectors, cameras, interactive white tables and smart class systems help create immersive learning spaces that transform static and traditional classrooms into dynamic and engaging environments that go beyond the simple search for a screen.
These are not only visual aid. These are active learning catalysts. I saw classrooms where AV configurations allow students to jump in a virtual taxi to practice linguistic skills, or interact with a historical figure by projection and accessories. It is learning that has the impression of traveling, without the cost or logistical obstacles, and the teachers remain central, guiding the experience, not sidelined by it.
Hybrid learning increases quickly, but it only works if the right technological infrastructure is in place. Its success depends more than smart software. Even the best AI tool will have no impact if the classroom does not have a work camera, erasure of audio or an easy interface. Without these bases, the lessons collapse and the learners allow themselves to be left.
AV technology means that hybrid and technological learning is connected. It helps to ensure that students at home and in the room buy the same quality experience, and this gives teachers the flexibility to switch between formats without compromising the lesson. Without this, AI cannot reach its potential, and teachers and students eventually frustrate.
AI has an impact only when the conditions surrounding it are correct. When AV Tech allows clear and interactive interactive experiences and teachers are confident in the use of AI as part of their toolbox, learning becomes richer and more engaging. But when AI tools or AV technology are deposited in classrooms without training, support or good infrastructure, this promise fades quickly.
This is why the investment cannot stop at software. The equipment, interfaces and training to use them with confidence are just as important. And they must be accessible. If only certain schools or organizations can afford the configuration, the gap in educational opportunities will only widen.
Real opportunity
The real opportunity is not to use AI to replace what educators are already doing well. It is by giving them tools that improve the work they can do. AV AI and AV technology, when used in a thoughtful and equitable manner, can help educators offer more significant and engaging lessons. But the accent must stay on people.
It is not a question of hunting media threshing. It's about choosing the right tools, creating good environments and supporting teachers and learners at the center of all of this.