What you must know before AGI arrives | Carnegie Mellon University Po-Shen Loh
Carnegie Mellon professor Po-Shen Loh argues that as AI approaches human-level capabilities, the most crucial skill for the next generation will be creative problem-solving and original thinking rather than memorization or following established patterns.
AI Surpassing Human Capabilities in Creative Tasks
Google's AI solved 4 out of 6 International Math Olympiad problems, which are designed to be completely original and unlike any previous contest problems. This demonstrates that AI creativity may already surpass what most humans can achieve, with the only unique aspect of human intelligence being that we care about human survival.
The Interview Method for Assessing True Thinking Ability
Loh describes his approach to interviewing high school students by asking questions until it's clear from body language that they've never seen the problem before, then observing how they synthesize hints into solutions. This tests genuine thinking ability rather than pattern recognition or memorization.
The Exercise Analogy for AI-Assisted Learning
Using AI to do writing homework is compared to driving a car for exercise - you get no benefit from the activity that was designed to strengthen you. Students who use AI for learning tasks will grow up unable to think logically and will become dependent on others' thinking.
From Doing Homework to Grading Homework
The fundamental shift needed in education is moving from teaching students how to do homework and exams to teaching them how to evaluate and grade work. This develops critical thinking and assessment skills that will be essential in an AI-dominated world.
Philosophy Shift from Competition to Service
Loh observed that highly capable students who focused on outperforming others often became depressed and directionless. The better approach is focusing on making others happy and creating impact, which is both more fulfilling and correlates with traditional success measures.
"For many many years, humans were the top species, the most capable things on this planet. Soon, it will not be that case."
"The only unique thing about human intelligence is that we hopefully care that humans still exist."
"Using AI to do your writing homework in school is like saying, 'I'm not going to run a mile for exercise. I'm going to drive my car one mile for exercise.'"
"People used to go to school to learn how to do the homework and do the exams. Today, everyone needs to learn how to grade the homework."
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