There are questions every high school student should be asking when considering a college education: Is it worth it? Can I afford it? How do I decide what to study? Geneva College leaders provide answers to some of these top questions and more in this series. Take a closer look with us.

Does college make sense in the age of AI?

Silicon Valley might tell you that AI means the end of higher education. While AI will inevitably change the landscape, higher education isn’t going anywhere. In fact, we believe an education is even more important in the age of AI.

Much of modern education is limited in its focus, with a goal to memorize as much information and make someone just competent enough to get their first job — something that AI is excellent at.

But let me suggest what AI can’t do and what you should look for in any college education.

Accessing information is a completely different thing from applying knowledge. Passing a test or getting a first job is great, but an education should prepare you to think and act with purpose throughout your life, assessing situations with care and insight.

• As a doctor, you don’t only need to know the name and functions of a medicine — you need to understand how it might impact the specific person in front of you.

• As a marketer, it’s not enough to simply craft another message or ad — ultimately you want to convey a story to involve real people in a compelling way.

• As a teacher, you can outsource your curriculum development to AI — but you’ll still need to translate those lessons to the minds of your 2nd grade students.

AI is here to stay. And at Geneva, we’re not threatened by it. We encourage our students to minor or major in computer science, learning how to build and navigate large language models ethically. AI is an opportunity — an opportunity to responsibly outsource some tasks, in order that we can become doctors, marketers, and teachers who spend more time present with those we serve, applying knowledge with care.