Commentary: In a future dominated by AI, children must become curious thinkers
Dr. Autumn A. Graves, Head of School
As a regular practice, I carve out moments from my everyday routine as Head of School and step into the classroom. In these moments, I see students asking questions – good questions – to achieve a better understanding of the topics at hand.
It’s a welcome sign that today’s students are preparing themselves for the AI-driven world that will greet them upon graduation, and a reminder to educators that not all students think, or learn, in the same way.
Take my friend Pauline, whom I met in high school and who went about learning a bit differently than I did.
In ninth grade, I viewed learning as memorizing and regurgitating information. I was a know-it-all, not a curious thinker.
Pauline was different. She had real curiosity. She wasn’t interested in having a mind full of rote knowledge; she wanted to know the world in a deeper way.
I think Pauline would serve as a good role model to the kindergarteners who began school this year because these young minds will walk into a dramatically different world by the time they graduate high school as the Class of 2036.
For them, having a curious spirit seems to be the surest path to success.
Artificial intelligence has arrived. And, by 2036, when today’s youngest students will graduate, AI undoubtedly will be ingrained into our society in ways that we cannot even comprehend today.
Who will thrive in this world? It will likely be someone curious, like my friend Pauline, who asks good questions and never stops probing for better answers. By contrast, I worry that people with my learning style as a reformed know-it-all will have a tougher time.
As educators, it compels us to realize that the approach we take in teaching today will set the bar for students’ impact on society in the future. We must prepare each person to be an impact player, a member of the citizenry who can positively impact their community.
In their book AI 2041: Ten Visions for the Future, authors Chen Qiufan and Kai-Fu Lee write about a time when artificial intelligence and human intelligence are indistinguishable.
The key is to begin with the end in mind. We should be, in the words of poet Walt Whitman and recently re-popularized by TV character Ted Lasso, curious without being judgmental.
We need to face the future boldly and not ignore changes or submit to a pessimistic approach.
Yes, it may be impossible, in certain spaces, to discern between artificial intelligence and human intellect in the future. Machines will save us time and mental energy. Some people may believe they will not have to think at all.
However, I believe that we will be called upon to use our minds more than ever.
We should counsel students to ‘know your story.’
Once our youngest generations understand who they are and where they come from, they will be prepared to envision a way to become an impactful member of society. They will learn how to connect with others and become an advocate for themselves and the people around them.
By focusing on the whole person, and not simply the student in a classroom, we will go beyond developing competencies in hard skills and begin fostering awareness and passion for critical thought. It’s an area that artificial intelligence may never truly master.
By 2036, the world will be full of people, and perhaps intelligence, who are different than us. But the more time we spend around each other, the more we realize we are more alike than different.
Like my childhood friend Pauline, the best students will understand how to appreciate someone else’s perspective and embrace differences.
My message to colleagues is this: Let’s encourage students to take a more global view of a topic. Strategic thinkers will always be needed, especially as technology changes.
To be clear, that does not mean we are able to ignore or downplay elements of a classic, traditional education. As a former history teacher, I firmly believe that we can apply the lessons of the past to the present.
At the same time, we shouldn’t measure a student’s full intellectual capacity by the answers they give on a test. We must challenge ourselves to think outside the box and prepare this generation of students for the different world they will graduate into. By doing this, we will be on our way to ensuring a prosperous future for the Class of ’36.
Dr. Autumn A. Graves is Head of School at St. Anne’s-Belfield School, an independent co-ed day and boarding school for students in Pre-School through Grade 12 in Charlottesville, Virginia.
