Episode

Preserving learning in the age of AI shortcuts

Podcast: Harvard Thinking
Published: Feb 18, 2026
Duration seconds: 1707
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Summary

Generative AI tools are here to stay. There’s a debate around whether or not they should be embraced in spaces of learning. Recent reports suggest that the risks of using these tools might outweigh the benefits, threatening cognitive development by doing the thinking for their users. This is forcing educators into a dilemma: how do they make the most of AI’s potential, while also protecting students’ ability to think for themselves? In this episode, host Samantha Laine Perfas talks with cognitive scientist Tina Grotzer, applied mathematics professor Michael Brenner, and educator Ying Xu about how to use AI tools to enhance learning, rather than replace it.