Hi all,

Did you notice anything special about the cover picture?

Here’s a little secret: I have made all the cover pictures for the newsletters since last year using various graphic design software. The cover picture this month, however, was generated by an AI app, in less than 30 seconds. Usually when I use the AI to make artworks, I always have my own ideas, and do detailed and specific prompts and multiple renderings to ensure that I get the designs I want. NOT for this one. This is solely the work of AI with a simple text prompt. Shocking, isn’t it? 

Some of my artist friends have experienced an existential crisis after they discovered how AI software could make intricate artwork so quickly. And unlike the machines that we have invented before, AI can learn and will keep learning. 

And can you guess what text prompt I fed into the AI software for this picture? 

“The Future is here”. 

Whether we like it or not, our children are growing up with AI. How do we prepare our kids to shape the future in the age of AI? 

I have an answer that is too long for the newsletter; but I want to emphasize here that just like every technological innovation in human history, AI technology will present both threats and opportunities. There are certain areas that humans can do better than AI: 

• Imagination & psychical skills. 

• Creativity.  

• Critical thinking. 

• Strategic Thinking. 

• Communication Skills, esp. Empathy-based Social Skills. 

   

And that is why we do what we do at NextGen Education, as we stated in our Mission and Vision. 

We will see more robot teachers and AI-enabled software in future schools. And yet, they won’t be able to replace our human teachers when it comes to the learning of the above skills. 

And here is some good news from our teachers. Oliver Chin, author and publisher, who has taught our AAPI Bio class, will soon publish “More Awesome Asian Americans”; and Andy, teacher for our Sci-Fi class, will soon publish a sequel to his novel “Generations of Shade”. 

Please also check out my author website for my past & upcoming publications! 

Registration for our Spring classes will open in November. Please stay tuned! And sign up now for our free parenting workshop on Nov 17!

Jiang Pu, Ph.D.

Founder of NextGen Education