
Everyone’s talking about AI, captivated by its promises and potential. But the true story of how we got here stretches back further than the rise of algorithms and machine learning.
It starts with a simple question: How did we use to learn? There was a time when universities represented the pinnacle of knowledge. They held the keys to the world’s most advanced ideas, and only those who gained entry could access this trove through professors and mentors. This exclusive, structured transfer of knowledge was the bedrock of the traditional master-student dynamic—a slow but effective process of guided learning.
Then the internet happened.
Suddenly, access to information was no longer a privilege but a given. Practically overnight, everyone could tap into the entire world’s knowledge from any device, at any time. This seemed like a triumph—a new age of learning. But as access increased, something curious happened: actual learning skills began to decline.
With endless content at our fingertips, we’re in a constant state of zero-friction, high-speed information consumption. It’s a Netflix effect: when everything is available, the effort to choose—to truly engage and learn—becomes daunting. We end up skimming rather than studying, distracted rather than dedicated, outsourcing our thinking to search engines. And as attention spans shrink, study skills suffer alongside them.
The pandemic accelerated this shift, and now, AI is pouring fuel on the fire. People feel informed because they’re consuming content all the time, but that’s not the same as learning. Many believe they don’t even need higher education, convinced they can find everything online. And those who do pursue degrees often approach lectures passively, distracted by the same devices they use to access information.
The problem is profound. The value of knowledge has eroded even as tuition costs have skyrocketed, and educational institutions are lowering standards, pushing students to do the bare minimum. Now, instead of fostering critical thinkers and lifelong learners, we’re incentivising memorisation for tests, and little more.
It’s a system that leaves graduates unprepared for the complexities of the modern world. This trajectory has serious consequences, not just for students but for society at large. If we don’t address this issue—if we don’t find a way to teach real learning skills in the information age—our collective future will be less resilient, less innovative, and ultimately, less equipped to face the challenges ahead. It’s time to rethink how we educate, before it’s too late.
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