Ezra Klein

Don't their kids need to know how to use AI? So they're going to need to attract parents on that level, but also... How do they not end up flat-footed if this is turning out to be a disaster?

Don't their kids need to know how to use AI? So they're going to need to attract parents on that level, but also... How do they not end up flat-footed if this is turning out to be a disaster?

Let me try to sharpen the FOMO argument or the argument that will be used to give people FOMO. The argument goes something like this. If AI is a very potent technology that's going to be integrated into virtually everything in the future, not literally everything, but quite a lot, then not just your literacy, but your competency in it becomes paramount. You're not going to be replaced by an AI.

Let me try to sharpen the FOMO argument or the argument that will be used to give people FOMO. The argument goes something like this. If AI is a very potent technology that's going to be integrated into virtually everything in the future, not literally everything, but quite a lot, then not just your literacy, but your competency in it becomes paramount. You're not going to be replaced by an AI.

You're going to be replaced by a person who knows how to use AI. And so what you need to learn is to use the AI. You need to learn how to manage it, how to prompt it, a sense of what it can and can't do. And there's no way to do that other than relentless familiarity and experimentation and exposure.

You're going to be replaced by a person who knows how to use AI. And so what you need to learn is to use the AI. You need to learn how to manage it, how to prompt it, a sense of what it can and can't do. And there's no way to do that other than relentless familiarity and experimentation and exposure.

And so a kid who goes to some Luddite school, or when they're young, the toys are made out of wood. And when they're older, the books are all printed on paper. And there's not a Gen AI in sight. Is going to lose out. And it will be like having not taught them mathematics. Right. Or having not taught them how to drive or something of that or how to type. Right. How do you take that argument?

And so a kid who goes to some Luddite school, or when they're young, the toys are made out of wood. And when they're older, the books are all printed on paper. And there's not a Gen AI in sight. Is going to lose out. And it will be like having not taught them mathematics. Right. Or having not taught them how to drive or something of that or how to type. Right. How do you take that argument?

I guess then there, to go back to your equity point, there's the argument from the opposite direction in equity, which is that it is the kids with the least access to all kinds of

I guess then there, to go back to your equity point, there's the argument from the opposite direction in equity, which is that it is the kids with the least access to all kinds of

enrichment materials to tutors i mean we know what rich kids in urban centers get and then what you're getting i mean you know in parts of america that are rural and don't yet have broadband or don't have wide access to broadband to say nothing of you know a kid in nigeria in rural nigeria that that is where at least a well-structured Gen-AI tutor might be able to make a difference really fast.

enrichment materials to tutors i mean we know what rich kids in urban centers get and then what you're getting i mean you know in parts of america that are rural and don't yet have broadband or don't have wide access to broadband to say nothing of you know a kid in nigeria in rural nigeria that that is where at least a well-structured Gen-AI tutor might be able to make a difference really fast.

You've talked a bit about a study in Nigeria that I never quite know how seriously to take these studies yet, but why don't you say what it did and what it found?

You've talked a bit about a study in Nigeria that I never quite know how seriously to take these studies yet, but why don't you say what it did and what it found?

Ethan Mollick, who's an AI expert, he's got this idea that has been influential for me about the best available human. Is AI better for you in a certain purpose? Not than the best human. but the best human available to you at a given moment.

Ethan Mollick, who's an AI expert, he's got this idea that has been influential for me about the best available human. Is AI better for you in a certain purpose? Not than the best human. but the best human available to you at a given moment.

So yes, having a professional excellent editor like my editor at the New York Times would be better, but most people don't have that available. So AI is better than the best available editor to them. There's a lot more demand for therapy than there are therapists.

So yes, having a professional excellent editor like my editor at the New York Times would be better, but most people don't have that available. So AI is better than the best available editor to them. There's a lot more demand for therapy than there are therapists.

So oftentimes AI is, you know, and particularly where it's going, even for me sometimes, it's a better therapist than the best available therapist I have available at a given moment. It certainly seems plausibly true in education too.

So oftentimes AI is, you know, and particularly where it's going, even for me sometimes, it's a better therapist than the best available therapist I have available at a given moment. It certainly seems plausibly true in education too.