GS.TS. Po-Shen Loh, ĐH Carnegie Mellon | Rèn tư duy ngược để không bị AI bào mòn | TQKS #129

Core idea: the purpose of education

Professor Po-Shen Loh argues that the danger of widespread AI use is not that it can answer questions. Rather, some people treat AI as an authority—so they stop questioning, lose curiosity, and rely on independent reasoning less.

He reframes education’s purpose from “preparing students for jobs” to “ensuring civilization lasts forever.” Since AI can already perform many tasks (even whole job functions), education should focus less on transferable technical answers and more on preserving and passing on an underlying “operating system” for society: curiosity, reasoning, values, and a mindset that keeps humanity moving forward across generations.

What teachers should do in the AI era

Loh says teachers’ roles should be rooted in modeling, not superiority:

• An ideal teacher helps students believe “you can do this too,” avoiding an aura of being unreachable or “special.”
• Teachers should first inspire desire to learn (by modeling character and thinking), then teach the skills that enable it.
• Even when AI provides answers, schools should teach the principles that make students want to learn—so they choose active learning over passive consumption (he uses TikTok/dopamine as an example).

“Thoughtful” as the educational philosophy

Loh’s key framework is “thoughtful”, intentionally split into two meanings:

• Care (“thoughtful” with one “l”): loving/delight­ing other people, including strangers.
• Full of thought (“thoughtful” with two “l”s): being full of independent reasoning and understanding.

He warns that creating high-ability people without care can lead to harmful outcomes (he references “Terminator”). But cultivating both ability and care benefits society: motivation to help others creates direction, purpose, and social good.

Teaching curiosity through human connection and incentives

Based on research/observations from substitute teaching and interviewing students across many environments, Loh notes a developmental shift:

• Children around ages 11–14 are especially open-minded and can still use “the language of love.”
• After that, many become more self-conscious, more exam-focused, and ask fewer open-ended questions—often only asking how to earn better grades.

So, interventions should:

• Normalize asking questions and proposing ideas even if wrong.
• Use love/encouragement so students don’t treat mistakes as occasions for humiliation or competition.
• Keep curiosity alive by making learning feel purposeful and socially valuable.

The “Live” model for learning engagement

Loh explains that his organization (“Live,” formerly referenced as NTI/VitAI in the introduction) builds an education system for ages 11–14 that resembles a Twitch-style interactive live stream, not a conventional lecture.

Key components include:

• Classes run in small groups (about 30 students) where students can interact via devices.
• High engagement comes from letting students express themselves and feel included.
• Professional actors coach both:
  • the learning environment, and
  • student “teachers” (high schoolers aged ~15–20) on how to be engaging and emotionally effective.
• Feedback is framed to encourage participation—for example, praising early steps and guiding to the next step—rather than bluntly correcting.

Loh also claims AI is not central to the teaching system itself. The system is designed to be win-win by combining smart, kind peer instructors with emotionally coached delivery.

How AI fits into his worldview

Loh believes AI can amplify thoughtful people. Once students have the right values and habits of independent reasoning, AI can provide information and ideas—while students still question, verify, and reason through biases or mistakes.

He recommends a personal practice:

Before pressing “enter,” try to predict what the AI will say, then think critically about it.

He compares this habit to how language models are trained (predicting the next token), framing “active thinking” as the goal rather than passive acceptance.

Final advice for parents and teachers

To foster thoughtfulness and “full of thought,” Loh recommends:

• Be a role model: demonstrate through actions that caring and learning are part of a fulfilling life; teenagers notice even if they don’t appear to listen.
• Use positive social rewards: help children connect appreciation with doing things that brighten others’ lives.
• Place children near good role models: use clubs/camps/choices aligned with the values you want them to adopt (rather than only commanding them directly).

Presenters / contributors

• Professor Po-Shen Loh (KGI / Carnegie Mellon University; math professor; social entrepreneur; founder/representative of “Live”)
• Hosts / interviewer (Guancho Podcast, Vid Success) (unnamed in subtitles; multiple interviewer prompts)
• Event organizers referenced:
  • New Touring Institute (NTI, formerly Vit AI)
  • Pacific Gateway Partners (mentioned as organizers of the AI and humanity event)