Are we still in time to save ourselves from AI

The emergence of artificial intelligence in our society has been dizzying. In just a few years, we’ve gone from seeing AI as a curiosity to experiencing it as a part of our daily lives. Today, advanced models like ChatGPT can answer questions in seconds that once required hours of study, write coherent essays, and even simulate surprising empathy in conversation. Faced with this scenario, we must ask: what is the purpose of an education still focused on memorizing information and applying basic logical formulas when a machine can do it faster—and sometimes better? Reforming our education system is no longer a futuristic issue, but an urgent need of the present.

AI Displaces Traditional Education
The traditional educational model, inherited from the industrial era, has been based largely on knowledge accumulation and the development of logical thinking. We learn facts, dates, formulas; we train our minds to solve known problems. This made sense when knowledge was a limited resource accessible only through books and teachers. But today, AI—powered by big data and increasingly powerful algorithms—has achieved an unprecedented mastery of algorithmic knowledge. A student with internet access and a conversational AI can now access virtually all human knowledge.
Moreover, today’s AI not only stores information; it is beginning to show signs of creativity and “intuition.” It can compose music, generate original artistic images, and write stories with narrative coherence. Even in tests designed for humans, its performance is impressive. For instance, a recent OpenAI model taking the Mensa test in Norway achieved an estimated IQ of 120, surpassing that of most people. Experts predict that by 2026, we may see AI with IQs above 140—within the human genius range. This isn’t just about numbers: that level of intellectual performance means AI can solve complex problems in science and mathematics, recognize hidden patterns, and learn at superhuman speed with each iteration.
Even more unsettling for our concept of education: AI is starting to venture into "human" areas like creativity and empathy. There are virtual assistants designed to provide emotional support. Two recent studies—by the MIT Media Lab and OpenAI itself—have investigated how users form emotional bonds with AI chatbots and use them to alleviate loneliness. The findings show that conversations with these AIs can improve mood, reduce stress, and even provide a sense of companionship for those experiencing unwanted solitude. If a machine can hold a comforting conversation, what does that mean for skills we thought were exclusively human—like empathic listening or emotional support?
This forces us to confront an uncomfortable truth: much of what we teach today can already be done by AI. Memorizing facts, doing calculations, translating languages, writing structured reports… these are all tasks that algorithms now perform effortlessly. If we continue with a curriculum focused on mechanical content and procedures, we will be preparing our youth for a world that no longer exists. Worse still, we risk producing redundant generations, equipped with skills that AI already performs more cheaply and on a larger scale.

Reclaiming the Human: Knowledge with Awareness and Purpose
However, recognizing that AI surpasses humans in many cognitive areas doesn’t mean we’re doomed to irrelevance. But it does mean we must rethink what makes human knowledge and labor unique. This is where dimensions that AI—no matter how much data it processes—still lacks come into play: self-awareness, the experience of our mortality, the need to find purpose and build a legacy, and the way we learn from others in truly social ways.
Human knowledge is not just information; it is also embodied experience. A child doesn’t learn a language through grammar alone—they learn it to communicate with loved ones. A teenager studying history isn’t just memorizing dates—they begin to understand their place in the world and dream of the mark they’ll leave. Behind every deep learning experience is usually an internal motivation: curiosity, creativity, the desire to transcend. Humans know our lives are finite; that awareness of death paradoxically gives life meaning, pushes us to project a legacy, and seek purpose in what we do. AI, on the other hand, has no biographical existence or fear of ending—it lacks that fire born from knowing we are alive and ephemeral.
Likewise, we learn socially. From early childhood, much of what we absorb comes through interaction with others: by imitating, dialoguing, collaborating. In the classroom, students don’t just absorb knowledge from the teacher—they build understanding with peers, develop empathy, challenge one another, and refine their thinking. AI may simulate conversation today, but it lacks lived experience and a real human context. Collective laughter, heated debates, and shared triumphs over challenges are irreducibly human educational experiences. Our education system must acknowledge these qualities and foster knowledge with awareness and purpose, not just cumulative information.

Education for a Future with AI: Irreplaceable Skills
If AI dominates algorithmic knowledge, education must shift toward what sets us apart from machines. Many experts in pedagogy and technology agree that it’s time to strengthen “soft” or deep human skills—those that AI, at least for now, struggles to replicate. Some education systems are already heading in this direction. Finland, for example, has long been a model for a more holistic education: its national curriculum values not only academic performance but also personal growth, collaboration, and student well-being. In Finnish basic education, developing ethical sensitivity, emotional balance, and social skills is as important as learning math or languages. In fact, the Finnish curriculum states explicitly that schools must promote a readiness to learn, moral sensitivity, emotional balance, communication skills, and the ability to contribute constructively to society. This emphasis on shaping emotionally intelligent and well-rounded individuals is reflected in classes that incorporate conflict resolution, collaborative projects, and personal reflection from an early age. The result: young people better prepared to adapt, work in teams, and keep learning throughout life—critical traits in the AI era.
Following that lead, we must rethink our curricula to prioritize uniquely human capabilities. In particular, four areas should take center stage in classrooms:

Existential Creativity: The ability to create original content imbued with human meaning. This goes beyond artistic creativity—it’s the spark that lets us imagine new futures, philosophize, invent unique solutions, and express ourselves from our subjective experience. It’s creativity connected to our lived experiences and existential questions—something no AI can truly feel.

Authentic Collaboration: Knowing how to work with others effectively and empathetically. This includes assertive communication, leadership and followership, building mutual trust, managing group emotions, and co-constructing solutions. The collective intelligence of a well-coordinated human group far exceeds the sum of individuals—and education should invest in this (e.g., with interdisciplinary projects and genuine cooperative learning, not just parallel tasks).

Self-Reflection and Critical Thinking: AI can process data, but it lacks the consciousness to examine itself. We do not. Teaching students to think about their thinking, identify biases, learn from mistakes, and regulate their own learning is essential. Metacognition and ethics (Why do I do what I do? What are the consequences?) are central to this self-reflection. A person who reasons about their values and goals will hardly be replaceable by a machine with no inner life.

Meaning-Making: Perhaps the most intangible skill, but vital. It involves giving meaning to experience, connecting knowledge to life and purpose. It can take the form of finding a vocation, understanding the social impact of what we learn, or cultivating resilience in adversity. It’s about forming individuals who can ask “why” and not just “how.” In a world flooded with information, those who can weave it into meaning and guide action will have a compass no AI can provide.
These skills are not pedagogical science fiction—they’re perfectly trainable and assessable if taken seriously. We’re already seeing initiatives worldwide: from primary school social-emotional learning programs to universities integrating social impact projects across disciplines. At the Human-Tech Institute, we’ve developed projects and products that show it’s possible to train and improve these “soft skills” using virtual worlds and AI. The Finnish case shows us that including soft skills in the curriculum is viable and improves holistic education. Other societies are beginning similar journeys, recognizing that in the face of AI, we won’t win by accumulating knowledge, but by deepening our humanity.

Conclusion: An Urgent Call to Action
Let’s not fool ourselves: deeply reforming the education system is a monumental task. It requires political will, resources, and a mindset shift among teachers, parents, and students. But the alternative—continuing as we are—would be a historic mistake. We are preparing the next generation to thrive in the second half of the 21st century, a time when artificial intelligence will be omnipresent in work and daily life. If we don’t adapt education to this reality, our youth will emerge into the world with a severe mismatch between what they’ve learned and what they will truly need.
We are still in time to "save ourselves" from AI—not by avoiding it (it’s already inseparable from our environment), but by preserving and enhancing the best of the human condition through education. AI can and should be a powerful tool to augment our capabilities, not a rival to displace us. To achieve this, schools, universities, and all learning environments must transform now.
Let us make the arrival of artificial intelligence not the end, but the beginning of a new kind of education. One that reaffirms our humanity: creative, empathetic, reflective, and purposeful. It’s up to us to reimagine classrooms and content, to dare to let go of outdated practices and build new ones. If we act with vision and courage, AI won’t replace us—it will free us from the mundane and help us develop those qualities that make us unique and irreplaceable. It’s a race against the clock, yes—but we can still win this race for the future of our humanity.

Prof. Mariano Alcañiz
Human-Tech Institute, UPV