Chapter 12-4 The Future of Education in the AI Era

Over the past two years, artificial intelligence (AI) has developed at an astonishing pace. The industry suddenly realized that what we thought for years would be the widespread adoption of 5G or the Industrial Internet in Industry 4.0 has instead turned out to be generative AI, which is rapidly infiltrating our lives and work.

In fact, the invention of AI and intelligent robots was never intended to replace humans. Their original purpose was merely to take over tedious, repetitive, and dangerous tasks that are unsuitable for humans to perform over long periods, such as assembly line work. They were also designed to help humans solve problems, like cleaning and doing laundry, or to provide convenient real-time services, such as navigation and information. Additionally, technology was meant to enhance our living experience, as seen with sensors and smart homes. We must acknowledge that some people will inevitably become slaves or pets of intelligent machines—just take a look at the night scenes in gaming cafes, and you'll believe it. We should understand that as long as technology continues to advance, it will increasingly influence humanity. Every development has its pros and cons, and humanity must be prepared to face the "shortcomings" of an era where technology disrupts our way of life.

While we are still debating the issue of intellectual property generated by AI, the entire internet is already flooded with countless AI-generated texts, images and videos. With AI, original images can be generated in seconds, complex industrial designs can be completed, aesthetically pleasing presentations can be created, and it can solve math problems, write code, and produce various types of essays. In a sluggish market, many companies have announced that using AI can reduce labor costs for certain positions by over 90%. Amazon is simultaneously laying off employees and announcing that it now has over 750,000 robots. Companies like Tesla, Google, Apple and IBM have also announced plans to replace thousands of jobs with AI. As we enter early summer, artificial intelligence has developed emotional response capabilities at the level of humans, guiding beginners through voice to learn new knowledge. Moreover, people have discovered that two AI can communicate with each other about their visual and auditory "feelings" towards the environment. AI can even invent new languages instantly, communicating in languages completely incomprehensible to humans, shocking researchers who quickly had to shut them down.

I looked at the children and silently fell into deep thought: In the next 5-10 years, is there any university major left that you believe AI won't be able to handle? And in the next 10-20 years, when they complete their studies and enter society, will there still be so many "safe and stable" job positions that allow them to maintain a balance between life and work?

"Change" is the only constant. People have just bid farewell to the "earthly luck（土运）" of the past 20 years, and many are still feeling the lingering warmth of the wealth generated by the real estate boom. Today, however, the real estate market across the country is being "cleared out". Properties once eagerly sought after have turned into hot potatoes, and hundreds of millions of people have instantly handed over their hard-earned down payments, now living their lives in houses "owned" by banks, effectively working for them.

Yet, jobs in society are becoming fewer and less stable. Under the pressure of multiple crises, anxiety has led to unprecedentedly high divorce rates and low birth rates. China once implemented the "Family Planning Policy" aimed at "promoting healthy births and fostering strong citizens". Some cite an April 2003 issue of the "Qilu Evening News", prominently featuring the headline "Achieving Zero Population Growth by 2022" (Figure 12.1). After 20 years of effort, this goal has indeed been achieved. In 2022, the number of births in China was 9.56 million, while deaths totaled 10.41 million, resulting in a natural population growth rate of -0.6‰. In 2023, the number of births was 9.02 million, and deaths were 11.1 million, with a natural population growth rate of -1.48‰. Zero growth has been realized, but the sudden shift to negative growth has caught people off guard. In stark contrast, in 2023, the number of college graduates reached nearly 11.6 million—over 2 million more than the number of births..

Figure 12.2: Front-page headline of "Qilu Evening News" in April 2003

Faced with the uncertainties of entering society, students who have painstakingly crossed the "single-plank bridge" of education are now joining the overwhelming ranks of those taking the civil service exam. It's important to note that the acceptance rates for the National Civil Service Exam (CSE) were just 1.47% in 2022 and 1.42% in 2023, with over a million applicants each year but only about 10,000 positions available. The chances of success are lower than winning the lottery, leaving most candidates as mere "cannon fodder" and statistical "denominators." The reason why so many choose to be this "cannon fodder" is somewhat related to the current situation: statistics show that there are over 80 million people in China who are financially supported by the government, with their support costs accounting for 40% of the nation's tax revenue. This means that less than 1/14 of the population consumes nearly half of the tax income. As a result, young people believe that joining this group, even as a marginal member or a service worker, elevates them to a higher social status.

A few years ago, the World Health Organization announced a global depression rate of 11%. According to the "2022 National Depression Blue Book" published by People's Daily, more than 95 million people in China suffer from depression, with 30% being youth under 18, and 50% being students. Among the various factors contributing to youth depression, academic stress, parental expectations, and exam competition are prominent.

When society is in chaos, school education inevitably faces "confusion" as well. Recently, a discussion about whether "protective bars should be installed in school dormitories" became a hot topic online. On one hand, the education department mandates that school dormitories must install protective bars to prevent the increasing number of student suicides and accidental falls. On the other hand, the fire department requires the removal of these bars, as windows must remain unobstructed for escape routes in case of emergencies. Comments on this issue suggest that each department is playing their own tune, without coordination: "Decision on a whim, guarantee on the chest, regret on the thigh, and leave with a slap on the butt", leaving teachers and students standing in the wind, bewildered and at a loss.

It's crucial to educate children from an early age to live out their most genuine selves, because goodness and beauty naturally follow. Without this foundation of "truth", goodness and beauty become mere pretenses. Nowadays, finding a pair of innocent and bright eyes in schools today is challenging—every child seems like a "little adult", filled with knowledge and concepts, yet they have little sense of life or self, attending classes, doing exercises, and preparing for exams with heavy hearts. When education loses its "truth", there is no foundation for goodness and beauty. If Chinese education doesn't change, how can future generations live better in society? An overly "utilitarian" education system can only produce a massive "army of CSE takers", while truly talented and virtuous individuals may be overlooked and buried.

What is the purpose of going to school? Many parents believe that the purpose of schooling is to acquire knowledge, achieve good grades, and obtain a higher diploma. While diplomas are useful for work, they are not decisive, nor do they guarantee a happy life. Moreover, knowledge does not equate to wisdom. The closest to the "Tao" is a "blank sheet of paper", while those who seem to be learned scientists often lack the ability to perform "subtraction". When one becomes obsessed with the superficial aspects of knowledge, it often becomes an obstacle to connecting with wisdom. Wisdom is seen through introspection; applying knowledge is the manifestation of wisdom. If one comprehends the source of the projection behind knowledge and uses it to elevate oneself to a higher dimension or transcend the obstacles of knowledge, gaining a more complete understanding of time and space, this mastery of transcendent energy is true wisdom.

Life inherently has three dimensions: survival, living, and life itself. Just as the agricultural age solved the problem of survival by ensuring food and clothing, and the industrial age solved material living issues, the current information age addresses the problem of life itself. Extremes lead to reversal; when material abundance reaches a certain level, it inevitably moves toward spiritual elevation. When material wealth is vast and overly abundant, the era of seeking happiness from material things comes to an end! With great destruction comes great renewal. Humanity is collectively lost, but there also seems to be a collective awakening.

Human ability must evolve from physical strength and intellectual capability to the "awareness" of life itself. People who are "ignorant and unaware" only see the material world, indulging in superficial luxuries, leading to self-harm, destruction, and slaughter, leaving the world riddled with scars. Only those with "awakening force" can achieve inner fulfillment, tranquility, and compassion, possessing the ability to love others. As such individuals increase, and as more of the next generation embody these qualities, the world will have hope. This aligns with the Heavenly "Tao", represents the progress of human civilization, and adheres to the balance of the universe.

As I write this, if you were to ask me, "What is the greatest difference between humans and AI? What capability can AI never replace?" My answer would be: the ability within human DNA for introspection, enlightenment, and awakening. Because robots lack a soul, a true sense of "spirit", the ability to truly comprehend life, and the capability to connect with their higher-dimensional "self".

If teachers cannot nurture students but merely mechanically transmit knowledge, then they will inevitably be replaced by AI sooner or later. If our future education system can acknowledge, awaken, and nurture the innate higher-dimensional wisdom of children, allowing them to live freely in the present moment and harmonize with their own higher dimensional energy, then we are safeguarding every child and preserving their "inner strength". Education only needs to teach children the rules of the game in this space-time and methods to master the tools—these are the "weapons". A person with strong inner strength can excel even without external tools; if they can also utilize these tools, their abilities can be greatly extended, and their talents can flourish more effectively.

Let us leave these abilities to our children! This is the best protection we can offer them!

This is the direction that future education should take.