By: Lavanya Madhu Nair, Global Business Head, Right and Associates
When people ask me whether AI will replace education agents, I usually pause before answering.
Not because I don’t know the answer, but because the question itself says a lot about where our industry has been.
The truth is this: AI didn’t arrive to destroy our profession. It arrived to expose it.
Something changed over the last couple of years.
Students no longer come in asking, “Which country should I choose?” They come in saying, “I’ve shortlisted three. Convince me.”
They’ve already Googled. They’ve already asked AI. They’ve watched videos, read forums, and spoken to friends. Sometimes, they know the rules better than junior counsellors do.
And honestly? That’s not a threat. That’s a wake-up call.
Because if all you were offering was information, then yes—technology has already moved ahead of you.
AI doesn’t sit across the table when a parent’s voice drops, and they ask, “If this visa doesn’t work… what happens next?”
It doesn’t make sense when a student is saying all the right things but isn’t emotionally ready to leave home.
It doesn’t feel the weight of responsibility when a profile is borderline, and the decision could cost a family years of savings.
When something goes wrong, no one argues with a chatbot. They call a person. They call us.
That part of the job hasn’t changed. It never will.
Let’s be honest—with ourselves, first.
For a long time, parts of this industry relied on shortcuts:
- Repeating the same advice.
- Copy-pasting SOPs.
- Chasing numbers instead of outcomes.
AI didn’t create this problem. It just removed the hiding place.
And maybe that’s not a bad thing.
Being an education agent today isn’t about finding a course. It’s about standing between a student and a bad decision.
It’s about:
- Saying “this isn’t right for you,” even when it costs a commission.
- Thinking three steps ahead, not just to the next intake.
- Balancing dreams with reality.
- Taking responsibility for advice that actually shapes a life.
AI can show possibilities. Only humans can guide consequences.
At Right And Associates, we use AI openly. It helps us work faster, organise better, and remove repetitive tasks.
But we don’t hand over judgment.
AI helps us prepare. People make the decisions.
And that line is intentional.
International education is not a product. It’s a turning point.
It affects families, finances, confidence, and futures. People don’t just want answers—they want reassurance. They want someone who will stand by them when things get uncertain.
That need hasn’t disappeared. If anything, it’s grown.
AI will thin out this industry. It already is.
What will remain are education agents who:
- Take this work personally.
- Stay ethical when it’s inconvenient.
- Keep learning instead of defending old ways.
That’s not a loss. That’s a reset.
A Final Thought
AI didn’t kill education agents. It asked us a question:
What do you really bring to the table?
If the answer is information, that era is over. If the answer is judgment, care, and accountability— then you’re still needed.
Very much so.