The fact is, digital assessment technologies like the essay marking algorithms examined in this article are here to stay. We have passed the tipping point at which policymakers recognise them as a necessity. As technology continues to evolve and improve in accuracy, each successive generation of both teachers and learners is increasingly trusting of technology in everyday decisions, even life-changing ones. As the article outlines, now that edtech has become mainstream, there are more complicated considerations, which scientists and ethicists are working to resolve. Fundamentally, at what point will we start to trust artificial intelligence more than human judgement when it comes to evaluating and grading complex or'subjective' exam responses?

Siri or Alexa can get you the weather, but don't expect a conversation. Neither can chatbots, once the next big thing, hold a back-and-forth. But researchers are now developing systems that leapfrog chit-chat to the next frontier: They can argue and play devil's advocate, Axios' Kaveh Waddell writes. Why it matters: Researchers are striving to make machines that can converse knowledgeably with humans and explain how they reach their conclusions. In the absence of advanced AI that can think intelligently, this system is another step in that direction.