Redefining Education in the Age of AI

How do you define education when the speed of technology outpaces it? When we don’t even know if there will be jobs for the kids of today—or how many? I built my first website back in 2002, and I’m still in the trade today. Over the years, I’ve witnessed how technology has evolved with my own eyes. Now, AI handles a significant portion of my work. I’ve transitioned into more of a manager, overseeing the AI that does the actual heavy lifting. And let’s be honest, it’s just more productive that way. No matter how skilled you are, you can’t spit out 100 lines of code in a second. Sure, you still need to review and test it, but you’d probably do the same for code produced by a human team member, right?

I don’t want to single anyone out, but I’m willing to bet that those who are too attached to “hand-coding” will struggle to keep up compared to someone who embraces AI. And I imagine this is the kind of adaptability that education systems are trying to foster. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t learn how to code—you absolutely need that foundation to be an effective AI manager. What I am saying is that we need to stay flexible and continuously learn new things throughout our lives if we want to stay on top. At least in IT and probably many other fields as well.

Now, back to the original question: what is education when technology is racing ahead? And here’s another one that might be on your mind: If you’re 30, 40, or 50 years old, how much of what you learned in high school do you actually remember—or use?

I’m a big believer in karma. One way to look at it is this: a person comes into life like a seed—everything that tree will become is already packed into that seed. If the soil is good, with enough sunlight and rain, the seed doesn’t need much else. Similarly, a person needs just a gentle push in the right direction from an early age. The “tree” grows naturally with loving support. And most importantly—this is the critical part—we all need a healthy level of self-esteem. A person who is positive and confident, while still being respectful and loving to others, can face anything and come out on top. To the degree that karma and God’s mercy allow, they will succeed.

Helping a person become confident, kind, and ideally God-loving—that, to me, is what education should be primarily about. Everything else is secondary and will follow naturally, especially when guardians or teachers are wise enough not to force round pegs into square holes. They should recognize the potential in that seed, understanding what kind of tree it will become, rather than trying to shape it into something it isn’t.