Here’s a prescient quote about computers from Pablo Picasso:

“Los ordenadores son inútiles. Solo pueden darnos respuestas.”    

“Computers are useless. They can only give us answers.”

—Pablo Picasso (1881-1973)

Picasso died while the computer age was in its infancy. He did not experience laptop computers, the internet, or artificial intelligence, but he somehow got it right. He realized that answers are not the most important thing.

As sophisticated as they may be, computers are not able to come up with the best questions. “They can only give us answers.” This quote is not an anti-technology saying. It is more of a warning to remember the importance of imagination, the most important part of our thought life. Mere answers demonstrate the lowest form of thinking. Answers are often nothing more than recalling information. Citizens in our complex world need to understand issues well enough to formulate the insightful questions that will create new and unexpected outcomes.

This quote is similar to that of another transformative 20th century thinker, Albert Einstein, who said, “Information is not knowledge.” I suspect that we are confusing information and knowledge, to say nothing of wisdom, now more than ever.

The New Bloom’s Taxonomy describes several levels of thinking. The lowest level is memorization:

1) Remembering

2) Understanding

3) Applying

4) Analyzing

5) Evaluating

6) Designing

Sophisticated A.I. programs simulate design and spit out answers, but we need to prepare learning experiences for students that get them to use all levels of thinking, as well as pushing them to use their lived experience, context and wisdom in developing deep understanding of subjects.

Despite the advantages of modern electronic communication, we may be stuck in the low-level memorization mode even more than in Picasso’s Day, back at the dawn of the computer age. Now artificial intelligence can give us answers. But students do not need mere answers. Students need formation more than information–brains that are growing and making connections, not just passively surveying topics or getting answers. That happens by reading, discussing, interacting with ideas, not just looking up facts. As teachers, we need to model, teach, train and expect students to use higher level thinking skills so that they can come up with good questions–and not just give us answers.

So what do you think about A.I.? What are more pitfalls? What are the benefits?