As per UNESCO, under the theme “AI and education: Preserving human agency in a world of automation”, the 2025 International Day of Education encourages reflections on the power of education to equip individuals and communities to navigate, understand and influence technological advancement.
As computer and AI-driven systems become more sophisticated, the boundaries between human intention and machine-driven action often blur, raising critical questions about how to preserve, redefine, and, ideally, elevate human agency in an age of technological acceleration.
We have had several knowledge revolutions over the years. From viewing literacy as the ability to read and write, we are now embracing digital literacy for using digital tools and technologies including AI. Of course, there is great value in the act of information gathering and acquiring knowledge.
But education is different from information. The way I see it, education is not just about acquiring knowledge, it is about fostering curiosity, building critical thinking, and developing compassion. Education includes developing skills in emotional intelligence, social awareness, and ethical decision-making. We now live in a world of increasing automation and AI where staying current is important, but staying flexible, adaptable, and always ready to learn is critical. It is through this active engagement in education that we can we can shift the focus from artificial intelligence to augmented intelligence, preserve our human agency and ensure that technology enhances, rather than diminishes, our humanity.
Growing up, the values and traditions in my background taught me that education is about developing a deeper understanding of the world and our role within it. After over two decades in adult education, I’ve come to see education as a journey toward self-realization and inner awakening. Education is not something we passively receive, but something we actively engage in by constantly questioning, evolving, and striving to become the best versions of ourselves, both for our own growth and for the good of the interconnected world we live in.
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| Photo by Taruna Goel |
