Introduction

Start off maybe with a little bit of an introduction from you. So who are you? What's your background? And why are you sitting here on stage today to talk about AI, society, and education?

I love that big question. So it's an honor to be here.

Background and Entrepreneurial Journey

Alina mentioned it, I have a serial entrepreneurial background. 1I actually started off as a developer myself, pretty much two decades ago, pretty long time actually, but made my way into becoming a tech entrepreneur.

I had been also the CTO and MD of N26, helped to build a core banking system for the whole banking platform and the apps. I built a digital health record. I was very excited, actually, meeting a former of my team members here today, Vivi, which is a digital health assistant, actually, together with 37 health insurance companies for 20 million people.

Yeah, and I have three kids.

Personal Insights into Education

The three kids, one of them, the oldest one, was in the pandemic in homeschooling. And when he was learning on the opposite side of the dinner table, he was learning about Berlin history. And we have just a wall on the outside, and I think Berlin history is really exciting. But the teacher kept on talking for 15 minutes, and he fell asleep.

So out of that, I thought education might be something we really need to improve because it really reminded me of my own journey in education. And yes, I also fell asleep in the class, I must admit. So I think this is something we can change.

Learning should be exciting. It should be fun.

Revolutionizing Education with Tomorrow's University

And we want to be, with tomorrow's university, we are building, actually, a next-generation university, a place, a community actually for learning together.

And we are focusing on the 21st century skills, which includes sustainability, entrepreneurship, but also as a key part, technology, AI. 1We think that literally technology makes us all better leaders. It's a strong tool, and the more people are capable to use the tool, the better it is.

Educational Systems and AI Integration

And so playing off of that, you talked about the education system of which, yeah, there are perhaps just a few flaws within their current system, just maybe. But what do you think the education system needs to do to sort of both accommodate, but also sort of celebrate the use of AI and how should they be changing their curriculum in order to, again, accommodate for the fact that students are, of course, using this technology, but also to maybe educate them on how to use this technology?

A question for the audience, and maybe you can help me and raise your hand. Who of you has used ChatGPT? Can you just raise your hand? Is there any hand not up?

Can we do the other side? Anybody who didn't use it? OK, good. I'm in the right place.

That would have been a very awkward hand up. I just wanted to double check here. So all we have an understanding of AI.

OK, let's say something else. Who developed the product using AI and with AI integrated? Can you raise your hand? OK, I see. That's like 10%, I would say, something like that. So a couple of less people.

Understanding AI and Its Tools

So I think by using ChatGPT, we all understand a little bit what ChatGPT is, and it is currently, I would say, a tool, a tool we can use. A tool which is not perfect, like a hammer is not perfect, and you cannot fix everything with a hammer. I think ChatGPT, for example, as one of the tools, is the same.

And now taking it to one step, ChatGPT is for text. There are so many more AIs and so many more in different ways because they're more specific, maybe even more powerful. But I think...

The Evolution of the Educational Model

This is a really important tool, and it's one of the most important tools maybe in the 21st century. So when we come to the school system, and now I'm in higher education, we are quite afraid of this because this tool doesn't change just that we need to learn this tool, but it actually changes fundamentally education. And this is actually a big thing.

Our school system is today so much focused on learning things by heart for repeating it in an exam. And this is not helping you in the future anymore. If you just pass an exam, it is really more about becoming competent, being able to use tools, but also in a way actually that you can have value.

And this is something which is really, really important for any school is to not be afraid of it. It doesn't matter, again, which level, but actually Put it into every curriculum.

It doesn't matter if you talk about software engineering. You can be a better software developer eventually if you're capable to use AI. You maybe are a business guy, a salesperson, and think about your sales playbook.

Or you're an entrepreneur and think about your business model. For all those things, AI is a powerful tool. So think about a school, whatever you're so classy in, this needs to be integrated.

And there are different tools for different things, but this needs to be part of it.

Essential Skills for Students and Professionals

And so thinking about that, what skills do you think are the most important for students to be developing as they go in to enter the workforce? Or honestly, many people that are already in the workforce have to look at re- and upskilling in different things now, thanks to the impact AI is having on this industry. But do you think there'd be a bit of a shift in what we should prioritize teaching in the education system?

So I mean, we are here at a community meetup. And I think for me, it's always the people, the people which matter. At the end, the people are the customers. They're the team members.

We're working together with them. We're solving problems together with them. And I think this is not changing. Let's say hopefully, but I really don't think this is changing at all.

And what this means is interpersonal skills are really important, like building up emotional empathy. But it's not just the others which matter. I think the other side here, this is the me, I think matters as well quite a lot.

It's about if so many things become more possible, it can be totally overwhelming, by the way. Leading yourself, I think, is a key part in that.

And then we come, and we talked before with the next speaker about AI is also hallucinating. And we have so many news and so much information overload in this world. I mean, where even to start looking for the right information sometimes? And then how do you know if this is good information?

AI, a lot of the side effects is also that we can produce more, but how do we know what it is? Authenticity. There are so many problems. So critical thinking, understanding this, is a really key part actually in the future from my perspective.

And then Now coming more from our university perspective, we also see like critical thinking, but thinking and acting in solutions. So problem solving is one of the key things, actually, in the future. You need to be able to solve problems.

Because the tools are more empowering, there will be nowadays, if you're doing a job, you can combine actually multiple roles into one person. You can become now a developer, you can become a marketeer at the same time, which before maybe was not possible at all. And especially, for example, if you're starting a company, you can actually do many things because you have such a powerful tool maybe which can help you. I think this is enriching things.

So critical thinking and acting solutions, solving problems is another one. And I can imagine from what you're describing is like, yeah, that ability to consider use cases, like where could this help you where maybe in the past you would have had to hire an expert or go about something a different way to educate yourself.

Potential Risks of AI in Society

And so from looking at this from that positive aspect of how it allows us to do much more, what do you think are the potential threats we need to watch out for, the potential negatives that can come from this being more and more commonplace in the way that we work?

What are the threats? I mean, we will hear about it, but I think it's like... We all agree. We know so many things already, what is dangerous.

Is this real? Is a video real? Is an image real? Is this AI generated?

We are using a tool. Now, the tool has a bias.

I mean, there was this very simple study. It just asked ChatGPT about a random number a thousand times. And I think 100 times, it will be 42. Now, if anybody has heard of that... Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, it is 42. Very clearly, that's a random number. But it is not random.

And having this in mind, that any model is also trained on something, and this data on what it's trained on is actually shaping. And there are some more trivial things to understand.

There are people which, if you have your smartphone and you open one of the navigation systems, Yes, you set the goal eventually, but then who is the driver, actually? Because you are just the driver, and he's giving you the direction, the tool.

And a little bit of this is happening with AI because it becomes more powerful. You ask him a question, yes, but he's driving you to do and take the decisions. And I think this is one of the dangers, actually, in AI, that it will, it's just a question if, it will drive our decisions in so multiple ways.

And some often we don't know, like an algorithm that shows us an ad or another doesn't and then makes us to do that other decision. So this is, I think, what I see for us as humans really problematic. And we should be very aware of this.

And there's a lot of other regulatory things on this which helps us there. But for sure, there are more things, because we have more data. There will be more insights.

The AI Act from the European Union, there are also levels on what is regulated, how heavily. Like, I don't know, security systems face recognition. There is more threats you can look at. So it's also that we need to look at how dangerous certain things are. And depending on this, we should embrace it faster. And for certain things, it's just more careful.

Mitigating AI Risks and Promoting Safe Use

And it sounds like to ask sort of a follow-up question from what you were just discussing in terms of sort of understanding what an AI model can or can't do. Like, you know, okay, yeah, with chat GPT, it's not necessarily always doing math. It's not really choosing a random number. You know, it's a language model.

You know, do you think that's one of the first steps towards trying to sort of mitigate some of these dangers? Or what would you say would be a good sort of first step for people if they're just getting involved in AI to kind of keep some of these things in the back of their minds or...

I mean, the really basic thing I can recommend is have two AIs. At least you have a second opinion. So just like at the doctor, it's like, okay, you ask the question once, you're going to go get a second opinion. At different companies, yes.

Yeah, that's also true, just asking in a different window of chat GPT. I mean, depending on the day, it could also be a very different answer. There are very different answers and very different results.

Same as image generation, audio generation, video generation. Yeah, and I mean, there's way more, but I think it's often not consistent. And that's also a part of it. It's also a good thing.

I mean, we humans are not consistent, which also we are learning. So it's probability, which is a good thing in that regard as well.

Yeah, there's a great book I love on sort of human culture and behavioral science, which is called Predictably Irrational. And it's exactly correct. It is predictably irrational. You can predict that humans will be irrational, but you can't always predict what they're going to do because of that factor.

The Future of AI and Society

And so then maybe a more future looking question, what are you excited about that's coming forward? And I know this is a big question. What are you going to do in 10 years? It's always like a job interview, but what do you think is coming up in the next 10 years that you're really excited for, that you think AI is going to bring about for society as a whole?

So I mentioned building a university. And I start with this because it's really about also learning and growth for all of us. And I think what is really, really exciting about is actually how we can learn.

In my school, we went all through the same system. and follow the same paths and use those same things. And if you want to learn something now with AI, you can create your own personal learning paths.

But just not that. You can, with multi-model AI models, which can see what you see eventually, interact with you what you see. You can speak. I think this personal tutoring, everybody has a personal tutor.

And just giving you the factor here, if you have a teacher with a group, in comparison to have a one-on-one teacher, there's a relation of three to 10 times more effective learning, partially. So you can just learn more effectively if somebody personally guides you.

And we will see this. We are integrating this, actually, into our curriculum. Because at the end, it is about helping and elevating you on your path and not getting you conformed to something which everybody needs to follow.

Because we have a lot of experience in our personal lives already. So the question is, we don't need to learn and start at the same place. And maybe we even don't have the same goal. And then also the applications of the learning is very different for us.

So I think I'm really excited about the future of education, how this changes. in a very positive way. And I'm very aware there also could be scary parts. But I think that this is really an opportunity for all of us.

I want to highlight one thing, which I really think that everybody of us needs to have. And I think this is something which is so important in the future. And I think the importance of defining your purpose and defining your path is really key for personal satisfaction.

Do you know why you do the things you do? Do you know why do you do the job you do? What is your purpose in your life?

And then again, if you define that, I think what I'm looking forward is to see more people actually being more fulfilled because they can actually achieve their personal path. And this is what is, for me, personally exciting because, again, I'm very excited about the future when it comes to creating a more sustainable society. And a sustainable society, this is actually our purpose as a university. We want to accelerate this.

This is, for us, what is happening, actually, if you educate and empower individuals on their path. So that's what I can also recommend. If you haven't thought about this, think about this. This would be one of the key takeaways, actually, of the AI meetup, is think about your purpose and your why.

And maybe if I can say now what is, for me, one of the exciting parts.

I'm a big fan of biodiversity. I'm really sad that my windshield doesn't have full of insects anymore, but it's actually clean. And I think this is really sad.

And I'm also a fan of organic food and having a diverse landscape when it comes to food. So I think we don't need to go away from this monoculture and these whole things. But it's too expensive, and it's not affordable right now.

And I'm quite excited, actually, about AI will enable us to go into agriculture and do this, actually, I think, way better. And I wish for and I also believe that this will be way more organic possible. And I think with that will allow us all to have better nutrition, better food, better quality food, but also better nature and a better biodiversity. And this is what I actually think that is really would benefit all of us going away from monoculture to shift to more better farming methods, more organic, more diverse. Yeah, and that's what I'm actually excited about.

I think AI from recognition to actually getting the crops, planting, everything will be better. And we'll build machines to help us do that. And with AI together, I think there's a magic happening that you combine AI software into robotics. And I think this will change the physical landscape. So that's what I'm most excited about.

Audience Engagement and Discussion

Are there some questions from the audience? Would you like to ask anything, anything on anyone's mind? Otherwise, can I do a quick question?

Who has a purpose here? Who knows his purpose and has defined it? I need to ask this.

Oh, three, four, five, six, seven, ten. A couple of them. Everybody nods.

Do that. Check it out. We have on our tomorrow.university, these are Zetas, we have a mission identification.

Trial challenges is free for this month. where you can actually define your mission, your purpose, work on your values, what you really want to change. And I really highly recommend it because you're going together with others.

And it's an amazing journey. And yeah, go to tomorrow.university and check that out if you haven't done that yet. And we'll be sure to include that link in the follow-up email that contains also all the video recordings for the talk.

So don't worry. We have all the AI classes, but that's a third.

Tomorrow University's Approach to AI Education

ask all any questions okay one question up front what exactly do you do at tomorrow university and how do you leverage ai so at tomorrow university we have bachelor master mba programs and short programs we are a state recognized university in the state of hessen but we are actually attack which because we have built its own platform for effective learning um So how we leverage AI is actually quite complicated, because on the one hand side, we are doing it, like I said before, it's part of the curriculum. So every student and every class is encouraged to use it. And it's built into it so that you also learn about the tools actually to use that for solving the challenges.

And it's challenge-based learning, so you don't have any exams. There's nothing that you actually can really fail. It's just maybe not yet achieved, but it's really a very applied fashion.

The second part is that we... We're personalizing the study experience based on the competencies and we're using AI to have our own algorithm to help you actually in customizing your path on that hand side. And the third part is actually we have AI challenges, AI and ethics actually in combination quite often, where we help people to learn about AI. We have a class, for example, about building with generative AI, also about mathematical foundations for AI, etc.

There's one more question behind. One more question in the back? I think we have time for one more. Maybe we can pass the mic back.

I have a question about education. It's about equality and inequality. Do you think that AI will bring more equality or inequality? Because at the moment, the barrier we get is to change institutions and also accessibility to higher degrees.

So the question is, is education getting more accessible, if I understand this correctly, for more people, actually? Overall, it depends on us, I would say, a little bit, because the question is, how open are we doing it? But I see, what I see currently, I think, just looking at tools like ChatGPT, they open it up for everybody.

And I think I'm quite excited about this because it's a powerful tool. And I don't know, now if you're living in the poorest country and you have a smartphone, you have access actually to ChatGPT, for example, and can build a personal learning path for yourself if you have a question. And if you want to learn how to do a handstand, it will give you the exercises you need to do to build up the muscles. So I'm overall very excited about this.

But this is just one type of AI. Let's look at self-driving cars. It gets more complicated, I think.

And in education, you will also see that for sure not every university will adopt AI, I would say. And quite often it's the opposite even. They will fight it. And I think it's...

We need to change education. And even this change of education needs time and will not be everywhere at the same point of time. So I think it is a path. And I think we need to work together actually to make this really happening.

But I see totally that the tools and the availability of the tools get bigger. And again, with the smartphones, even everywhere in the world. I was just visiting Costa Rica. It's amazing what they can do there now.

And it wasn't invented there. And then the regional barriers get lower. And the tools get cheaper. So yes, I think it's overall, I'm actually quite looking forward to that.

And I think it will be better, not perfect. Amazing. Thank you so much. A big round of applause. Thank you so much.