{"id":18562,"date":"2026-05-26T08:45:37","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T06:45:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.wu.ac.at\/?p=18562"},"modified":"2026-05-22T11:10:24","modified_gmt":"2026-05-22T09:10:24","slug":"ai-controversies-do-we-still-need-education","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.wu.ac.at\/en\/2026\/05\/ai-controversies-do-we-still-need-education\/","title":{"rendered":"AI Controversies! – Do We Still Need Education?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cAI Controversies!\u201d was the theme of the latest \u201cWU matters. WU talks.\u201d event. Minister of Education Christoph Wiederkehr, Anita Eichinger, Director of the Vienna Library, Marie-Christine Kainz, Vice Chair of the \u00d6H WU, and Alexander M\u00e4dche, Professor at KIT, discussed what education can actually still achieve if AI writes the texts and takes over critical thinking. And where does that leave humanity?<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe are currently training people for unemployment\u201d \u2013 brand eins.
\n\u201cWhy the A.I. Job Apocalypse won\u2019t happen\u201d \u2013 New York Times.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Moderator Thomas Grisold kicked off the evening with these headlines. A poll on our WU Instagram account revealed that 55% of the audience voted for the more optimistic NYT headline.<\/p>\n

99.9% of students use AI\u2014even though they were never properly taught how<\/h3>\n

Last Wednesday, Marie-Christine Kainz shared the students\u2019 perspective. Ever since generative AI has been around, practically every student has been using it. And why are students so confident about using it? Because it works. So why stop using it if AI makes life easier? According to Kainz, we should be focusing on a completely different question: \u201cWHY do students use AI so much in the first place?\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cAI could become a massive dumbing-down machine\u201d
\nAnita Eichinger, Director of Wienbibliothek<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Here\u2019s another interesting comparison from business IT specialist Alexander M\u00e4dche: AI is like a super-powerful calculator. You use it – but not all the time and not for everything. And you have to understand it to use it effectively: \u201cI don\u2019t go to the bakery with my calculator and then check if the change is correct.\u201d That\u2019s exactly why it\u2019s important to start early and actively guide students in using AI.<\/p>\n

A Guide to Being Human:<\/h2>\n
    \n
  • Critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity<\/strong>
    \nThe four key skills of the 21st century.
    \nYes, AI can certainly help, but when it comes to these skills, people ultimately still rely on their own ability to think.<\/li>\n
  • Building emotional connections<\/strong>
    \nAnd starting right there in the classroom. Group discussions, more oral exam formats.<\/li>\n
  • Working with real people on real problems<\/strong>
    \nSend mixed teams to tackle a real-world problem – whether they use AI or not.<\/li>\n
  • Dealing with frustration<\/strong>
    \nExperiencing frustration is a part of life; AI significantly reduces this experience.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    If we don\u2019t actively cultivate our humanity, we risk losing our ability to think for ourselves and to exercise critical judgment. After all, the brain is like a muscle: if it isn\u2019t properly exercised, it withers away.<\/p>\n

    \n

    Curious? Watch the entire discussion here:<\/h3>\n