Renowned poet and Padma Shri recipient Sitanshu Yashaschandra raised concerns over the growing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education, cautioning academic institutions against prioritizing technical proficiency at the expense of critical thinking.
Addressing the 15th convocation ceremony at Ahmedabad University, Yashaschandra highlighted the limitations of AI despite its impressive capabilities. “While AI can mimic human creativity — composing poems reminiscent of Shakespeare or Kalidasa — it fundamentally lacks the ability to question its own actions or engage in self-reflection,” he said.
The poet warned that an overreliance on AI in academic settings risks producing graduates who are skillful but thoughtless. “Are our universities becoming mere training grounds that focus on output rather than nurturing intellectual curiosity?” he questioned.
Yashaschandra urged educational institutions to critically assess the unique qualities of human cognition that AI cannot replicate, particularly the capacity to make deliberate, conscious choices. He emphasized the need to cultivate students who not only master skills but also develop the ability to think independently and critically.
