Education must prioritise adaptability and judgement as artificial intelligence changes work
An opinion article argues that universities should prepare students not only for particular professions but also for changing forms of work. It says curiosity, critical thinking, communication and the ability to assess AI-generated information will become increasingly important as routine tasks are automated.
Education may need to be judged less by the job a qualification leads to and more by the capabilities it develops, according to an opinion article by Temitope Sodipo. The article argues that artificial intelligence is changing both professional work and the value of conventional knowledge. The discussion begins with concern about students entering professions such as law, medicine, accounting and pharmacy while the length and cost of training remain high.
It also considers the case of a young person who enjoys drawing but has been encouraged by his parents to study law. The article asks whether Nigerian universities are preparing students for the world they will enter. It argues that higher education should not function only as vocational training for one profession.
Instead, it should develop reasoning, research, communication, analytical thinking, discipline and intellectual curiosity. Those abilities may remain useful even when particular industries or occupations change. The article says that easy access to information makes it more important to know which questions to ask, assess the quality of an answer, apply context and recognise when an answer is unreliable.
Artificial intelligence can produce confident but incorrect material, including an imagined legal opinion based on a non-existent case or an inaccurate legal provision. The article therefore places emphasis on human judgement and on the ability to identify errors in machine-generated work. It says AI is likely to reduce routine tasks rather than eliminate every profession.
Lawyers may spend less time reviewing documents, while accountants may rely more on automated reconciliation systems. The composition of work could change even when the profession remains. The article concludes that there may be no permanently safe career choice.
Students, it argues, should be encouraged to develop the curiosity and adaptability needed to learn, unlearn and learn again as technology changes the workplace.
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