In a perfect world, we would have had a very broad conversation not just about AI in education, but about the role of education in society. I don't think it ha

In a perfect world, we would have had a very broad conversation not just about AI in education, but about the role of education in society. I don't think it has ever been a purely intellectual pursuit. Especially in societies that tell you that you'll never get a well-paying job unless you get a degree - students feel significantly more pressured to pass tests by any means necessary so they can present a certificate to their future employer than they feel encouraged to learn and grow. For the ones who are actually interested in their field it's probably something in between. But the deal is pretty clearly "Get to a prestigious school, make sure you don't spend any more time than necessary, and if you don't get a degree then it's been a huge waste of time and money". Of course it's very disrespectful to just generate some AI slop and expect a human to read it and grade it, making them spend more time with it than you did. Of course there's value in training and shaping your mind in ways that will prepare you for not just your job but as a person in general. But the system isn't really geared towards that, and I missed that perspective in the article. I don't think all that much has changed since the time when almost all scientists were wealthy aristocrats. The work itself is more accessible now because it can also be a job that puts food on the table. But if you want to pursue knowledge for the sake of knowledge, to the point where a degree is just some optional external validation of your efforts, you should be independently wealthy.