In an essay published this week in Newsday, Alfred University President Mark Zupan discusses how institutions of higher education can help students succeed in a world increasingly impacted by artificial intelligence.
The essay—titled “With AI, what’s the use of a college education?”—appeared in the Thursday, Feb. 26, issue of Newsday.
In the piece, Zupan referred to an event nearly three decades ago, when an IBM computer dubbed “Deep Blue” defeated world champion Garry Kasparov in a chess match. Despite it becoming obvious that computers were superior to human in “the Game of Kings,” the popularity of chess has soared. Zupan cited an article in The Economist, which stated the popularity of chess provides insights on the impactful roles humans can play as the “potency and presence of artificial intelligence” continues to grow.
“Educational institutions must be mindful of these insights as we prepare the current generation of students for the AI future that they will have to navigate,” Zupan writes. These insights include: versatility—encouraging students to pursue a variety of interests; social connections—with a focus on active learning and mentorship; exposure to active learning through experiential, hands-on learning opportunities; and demonstrating sound judgment in the use of AI tools.
“The more we deepen students’ versatility, social connections, active learning, and judgment, the more successful they will be in today’s AI-impacted world,” Zupan writes.