How AI is fueling an existential crisis in education

Decoder with Nilay Patel

We keep hearing over and over that generative AI is causing massive problems in education, both in K-12 schools and at the college level. Lots of people are worried about students using ChatGPT to cheat on assignments, and that is a problem. But really, the issues go a lot deeper, to the very philosophy of education itself.

We sat down and talked to a lot of teachers — you’ll hear many of their voices throughout this episode — and we kept hearing one cri du coeur again and again: What are we even doing here? What’s the point?

Links:

• Majority of high school students use gen AI for schoolwork | College Board
• Quarter of teens have used ChatGPT for schoolwork | Pew Research
• Your brain on ChatGPT | MIT Media Lab
• My students think it’s fine to cheat with AI. Maybe they’re on to something. | Vox
• How children understand & learn from conversational AI | McGill University
• ‘File not Found’ | The Verge

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Credits:

Decoder is a production of The Verge and part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Our producers are Kate Cox and Nick Statt. Our editor is Ursa Wright.

The Decoder music is by Breakmaster Cylinder.

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