Ian Bogost is a game designer and professor at my alma mater. He surfaces the dilemma facing college students and professors as they transition from a zoom-first pandemic world to one where AI assistance starts and ends most days on a college campus. Actual reading and writing might not be required. 🤣

Atlantic Article by Ian Bogost

(found his article using AI but would prefer to attribute it to Ian’s original publisher)

My $.02 on this: Thinking itself is getting outsourced to a friend known as “AGI”—- the smartest kid in the room who’s capable enough to earn a future Nobel prize. The only problem with “AGI” is that this kid hides behind a computer screen. However, the kid is getting a real world identity as the hardware gets built.

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In a similar vein, Austin-based podcaster Tim Ferriss had a recent interview with EconTalk host Russ Roberts, another academic with ties to my alma mater. Tim and Russ assert the importance of preserving their cognitive skills by choosing writing and long form fictional reading over AI-based assistance and summaries. The podcast industry also demands maximum cognition. This one ran over 2 hours.

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There’s no doubt that AI makes everyday tasks easier from school to work—- leaving time for other things like managing a household or being a caregiver or running a social club. Ian mentions that many of his students seek classroom discussions versus rote and repetitive learning. The classroom and in-office work experiences are being transformed.

I really don’t think in-real-life (IRL) will get replaced by a zombie human existence involving technologies. At some point, humans will power down from AI and realize that IRL college and work experiences will accelerate their personal growth much faster. Humans will become humans again. I hope governments realize that they need to regulate AI in order to make the world normal again.