Artificial intelligence (AI) has established itself as an unprecedented technological shift, rapidly transforming our daily lives. There is practically no area of life untouched by this revolution, as Narciso Michavila, president of GAD3, reminded during the presentation of the report "Educating in the Age of AI".
Young people are already using AI for their school research, just as teachers and parents are using it to deepen educational concepts. Yet, a gap remains: education is not sufficiently preparing for this reality. More than 60% of the students surveyed believe they are not receiving training suited to these challenges. Michavila warns: if we do not develop the necessary skills, we risk being dominated by this technology rather than using it with discernment.
Revaluing the Human in the Age of AI
Faced with these challenges, Elena Martínez, general director of Empantallados, emphasized the need to "strengthen what is truly human". The report thus presents seven essential skills to confront this upheaval:
- Adapting to Change: AI leads to rapid transformations, but young people do not perceive them as a threat. More than 70% of them believe AI will have a positive impact on their professional future. In contrast, adults are more reserved, although the majority remain optimistic.
- Developing Critical Thinking: Access to information is easier than ever, but discerning truth from falsehood becomes a real challenge. Nearly half of students frequently verify the information provided by AI, a figure that reaches 63% among those who strongly feel its presence in their education. Yet, more than 40% of teenagers admit to having shared information that turned out to be false.
- Cultivating Creativity: While some teachers wish to restrict the use of AI to certain activities, others prefer to encourage students to reason and make connections between ideas rather than settling for automatic answers.
- Prioritizing Human Relationships: More than 70% of teenagers recognize that AI influences their social interactions and their capacity for empathy. Nearly a third of them use it to discuss personal questions, and some parents even wonder whether an AI could, one day, substitute for their role in certain situations.
- Encouraging Effort: AI facilitates access to answers, but it can also weaken the will for autonomous learning. More than 60% of teachers fear this technology will devalue the personal effort of students, who might use it to answer without truly understanding the concepts involved.
- Promoting Intergenerational Learning: AI can become a tool for dialogue between parents and children. Among parents who use this technology, 75% have discussed it with their children, compared to only 50% of those who have never tried it. The exchange between generations thus becomes an opportunity for mutual learning.
- Integrating Ethical Reflection: The more technology advances, the more the importance of ethics is felt. Yet, half of teenagers state that their school does not prepare them for the responsible use of AI.
These findings highlight an unavoidable reality: AI is already here, and its impact will only grow. Rather than merely enduring it, it is essential to train new generations to make enlightened and virtuous use of it. The goal is not to reject this advancement, but to integrate it within a human and ethical perspective, where man always retains mastery over the machine, and not the other way around.