What are the differences between Chinese and foreign education? What is the relationship between humans and technology? Will teachers be replaced by AI? What kind of information transmission will appear in the future…

On December 4th, GES2018 Future Education Summit entered its second day. A group of "special guests" from Xueersi International, a subsidiary of TAL Education Group, engaged in in-depth discussions with Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak on topics such as the future development of education and AI+ education.

Receiving good education is a common goal for the whole world

Junior Reporter Sunny: Online education can connect people from many different countries. What do you think about online education?

Steve Wozniak: Online education gives us more opportunities to communicate, which is very beneficial. Other people's words and deeds will bring you thoughts, and we can draw on the wisdom of the world. What we do and our way of life change with the people and events we come into contact with. Even if we are in different countries, different cities, or different schools, or in a more distant country, when you start to understand others, you will find how similar their thoughts are to yours! Everyone's life goal is the same, which is to receive a good education. Online education will help us achieve this goal.

We will always need human teachers

Junior Reporter Jeffrey: What are the advantages and disadvantages of human teachers compared to automated education systems (AI teachers)?

Steve Wozniak: A person's learning starts from a very young age, and we are always looking for mentors to guide us and tell us what to do. But computers cannot understand you and perceive your emotions like a teacher or friend can when face to face with you. Computers do not equate to human thinking. Therefore, we will always need human teachers and this will not change.

AI technology can make education better

Junior Reporter LuLu: A famous scientist once said that all human wisdom will be replaced by artificial intelligence technology. Can you tell us if AI technology will make our education better or worse?

Steve Wozniak: AI technology can make education better and help us make education better. We cannot do without it. When people invent hammers, they can do things that were not possible before the hammers, and when people discover wheels, humanity can go to further places. Every bit of technological progress will give us more drive. This is not something to be afraid of, and artificial intelligence is not scary. But artificial intelligence cannot think like a human at the moment, and we still do not fully understand the structure of our own brain. Will artificial intelligence replace humans in the future and think for us? I don't think so, it will only help us do what we want to do. Will this situation change? No one can prove it will change, and no one can prove that artificial intelligence will truly be smarter than humans and be able to do anything for us.

Learning to think independently in the digital age

Junior Reporter Bill: As children, we can access all kinds of information through various phones, computers, the internet, and books. Do you think we will benefit from it or be negatively influenced?

Steve Wozniak: I believe that there are both positive and negative influences. On the positive side, if you are curious about the world and want to know more, you can easily find the answers you need. On the negative side, many things in the information age increase our communication and social (costs) with other people, and gradually turn social interactions into a fixed habit of the human world. Our lives are controlled by habits, such as you are used to eating at a certain time, and when one day you don't follow this habit, you will feel uncomfortable. Habits and addiction are similar. Therefore, we cannot be controlled by machines and information, we need to think independently and not be controlled by the internet.

People are more important than technology

Junior Reporter Jeffrey: What was your biggest feeling during the development of Apple?

Steve Wozniak: I think people are more important than technology, and people should be treated right, just like your parents treat you. We should have our own lives, our own privacy, and not bow down and stare at others. We should be free to think of unusual ideas. At Apple, we call this "thinking differently". We don't care if you are different from us, you may come from China and I may come from America. I come from Silicon Valley, which is one of the most diverse places in the United States, with many people from different backgrounds, speaking different languages. This is what I learned at Apple—everyone is born different, but people can always agree on good things.

Good education can bring children closer to the world. As an international education brand under TAL Education Group, Xueersi International is committed to helping outstanding students aged 9-18 plan their international education path from an early age, meeting the standards of top global schools for students. While providing language training for students, Xueersi International emphasizes more on cultivating children's future-oriented capabilities, helping students broaden their international perspectives, establish critical thinking habits, and giving children the ability to freely embrace the world.