AI is changing everything. Universities must teach Americans how to keep up
The article argues that universities should expand their role in teaching AI literacy, as AI is changing work and everyday life faster than traditional degree courses can adapt. It says institutions should help people at different career stages learn to use AI effectively, judge its limitations and keep their skills current throughout their lives.
The article cites Pew Research Center figures showing that about half of US adults use AI in daily life, up from a third in 2024. It also describes a Harvard Business School and Boston Consulting Group study in which consultants using AI did better when tasks matched its capabilities, but performed worse than a control group when they relied on it beyond those limits. The author calls this uneven capability the “jagged frontier” and proposes lifelong learning through university short courses, certificates and other programmes.
In short
- Universities should teach AI literacy beyond traditional degrees.
- About half of US adults now use AI.
- Users need to know when AI can mislead them.
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The case for
Universities can provide trusted, structured AI education that helps people use these tools effectively, recognise their limits and adapt as work changes. Short courses and lifelong learning programmes could reach people beyond traditional degree students and help reduce the risk that AI skills are confined to those with access to workplace training.
The case against
Universities have limited capacity and may struggle to keep courses current as AI tools and their capabilities change quickly. Employers, professional groups and independent providers may be better placed to offer practical, job-specific training, while making AI literacy a central university responsibility could divert resources from other teaching and research priorities.
Explained simply
Artificial intelligence is already being used in everyday life and at work, but its usefulness varies by task. Research cited in the article found that people using AI did better when a task suited the technology, and worse when they relied on it beyond its strengths.
Universities traditionally teach people through degrees, often taken before or early in a career. The article argues they could also offer short courses and certificates to help people at different stages learn how to use AI, recognise its limits and update their skills as work changes.
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