Leading educators and investors argue that while AI can deliver knowledge, it cannot replicate the human growth, critical thinking, and social development that make higher education transformative.
AI Can’t Replace The Social And Developmental Experience of College
On the latest All In podcast, Tuesday, Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons and Dartmouth College President Sian Beilock discussed the evolving role of universities in an AI-driven world.
Host David Friedberg asked whether AI could eventually replace classrooms, teachers, and textbooks by serving as a personal tutor. Lyons highlighted the importance of human experiences in college.
He said, “If you stripped out the knowledge, the part that you could easily access with AI,” added, “my daughter just graduated…I’m astonished by how much she has developed.”
He noted that attempts to replace universities with online courses underestimated the value of personal growth and community.
Universities Foster Critical Thinking, Empathy And Leadership Skills
Beilock emphasized the need for developing “uniquely human skills” in residential settings.
“We should be thinking about teaching critical skills that allow students not to be in a safe space but a brave space where they learn how to be uncomfortable and interact with others,” she said.
The conversation also touched on the future of work. Lyons warned that AI will disrupt labor across sectors, saying, “A lot more unrepresented jobs are going to disappear as a result of AI than represented jobs over the next 10 years.”
See Also: Nearly 1 Million Jobs Disappeared—And No One Noticed Until Now
AI’s Expanding Role In Education And The Economy
Last month, billionaire investor Bill Ackman backed Alpha School, a private institution using AI to shrink academics to two hours a day while focusing on life skills and avoiding diversity initiatives.
Ackman hailed it as “the first truly breakthrough innovation in K-12 education” since KIPP Academy. Founded by MacKenzie Price, Alpha operated in Texas, Florida, and California and announced a New York City campus with tuition up to $65,000.
In the same month, Alphabet Inc. GOOG GOOGL subsidiary Google pledged $1 billion to supply AI-powered resources to U.S. colleges and nonprofits, offering funding, cloud credits, and advanced tools like the Gemini chatbot to more than 100 universities.
Earlier this month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics erased 911,000 previously reported U.S. jobs, raising fears of stagflation and a Fed rate cut. Tech losses were steep, with economists blaming AI automation.
Former Google executive Mo Gawdat warned that AI will eventually displace even top performers and executives, saying, “AGI is going to be better at everything than humans, including being a CEO.”
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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