How is AI changing education, Professor Bogunovic?
Text: Ilija Bogunovic, computer scientist
AI systems are finding their way into the worlds of education and work. What does this mean for schools and universities? Perspectives from computer science.
Artificial intelligence moved from research settings into classrooms almost overnight. Systems that write essays, explain mathematics, generate code or summarize texts are now available to anyone with an internet connection. This makes one thing clear: Education cannot remain the same.
In my own research group, AI tools have become a part of daily work — whether for coding, surveying scientific literature or conducting experiments. Students aren’t learning to outsource their thinking to AI; instead, they’re learning to think alongside AI, working faster while remaining critical of the results that it produces. This is already changing what it means to educate the next generation of researchers.
Priceless competence
For centuries, education meant having access to information. Teachers shared knowledge and students demonstrated that they had understood it. Today, information is abundant and instantly accessible. When software becomes conversational and generative, the line between tool and collaborator starts to blur.
Chess offers a useful example: AI has surpassed even the best human players for years. Yet the game has never been more popular. AI didn’t destroy chess, it transformed it — and human expertise evolved along with it.
Something similar might happen in education. If AI is able to generate plausible answers, students have to learn to question them. They need to verify claims, detect errors and recognize bias. Now, the scarce resource is no longer information but rather judgment. In a world where answers are cheap at source, the ability to judge them becomes priceless.
Researchers are working to make AI systems trustworthy and aligned with human values. The difficulty of this task reminds us that intelligence alone is not enough. Responsibility remains human.
The need for critical thinking
Education is therefore called on to adapt: less memorization, more interpretation and the application of critical thinking. AI literacy should become a fundamental competence across disciplines.
At the same time, not all work will disappear. Professions built around distinctly human abilities may become more significant, from health care to skilled trades.
Curricula evolve slowly, while AI improves rapidly. What is needed is adaptability. Students need to learn to question automated systems and to take responsibility for their use.
At the same time, AI opens up new opportunities. Students in remote areas could receive something close to individualized tutoring. Teachers could spend less time on routine preparation and more on what truly matters: guiding, challenging and supporting young people. Used thoughtfully, AI could even reduce educational inequalities rather than deepen them.
Ilija Bogunovic is Professor of Computer Science at the University of Basel. He is an expert in machine learning, generative AI and reinforcement learning in modern AI systems.
More articles in this issue of UNI NOVA (May 2026).