Opinion | What would Einstein have said about the impact of generative AI on higher education?

  • According to ChatGPT, Einstein would have seen generative AI as a creative partner that students must be taught to use wisely and responsibly
  • Generative AI has changed the future that higher educational institutions were preparing their students for, so education itself must now change too

A humanoid robot in the likeness of Albert Einstein developed by EXRobots displayed at the Beijing World Robot Conference on September 10, 2021. Photo: Reuters
Higher education is facing one of its biggest technological disruptions with the emergence of generative artificial intelligence. Unlike previous changes, such as the shift to online learning during the pandemic, generative AI requires a transformation of not only the delivery of higher education, but also its content and pedagogy. It requires institutions to rethink what and how they teach in a world where humans collaborate with AI and co-create.
The debate over AI taking over our jobs has intensified in recent years. There was much discussion after the 2011 Jeopardy quiz show during which IBM’s Watson outsmarted two human champions, and the 2016 Go match in which Google’s AlphaGo beat Go master Lee Sedol.
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