Being Human in the Age of AI
As a young man, I was drawn to the lessons shared at Sunday service, where life’s important questions were explored and prioritized: Who do I love? Who loves me? What is my purpose?
These were early lessons into the small “t” truths of the world, such as personal perspective, historical bias, and lived experience.
Today, such truths are under threat, as are the large “T” truths of our existence, like core values, moral qualities, and the ethical principles that shape one’s character. Technology like AI is simultaneously opening connections to people beyond geographic and physical constraints while fragmenting connections through agentic information gathering and decision-making. Why bother going to school or church if I can have Gemini write my term paper or deliver a homily to my inbox?
Recently, I had the opportunity to join a Crescent team alongside a small number of colleagues from Canadian independent schools at the National Business Officers Association (NBOA) annual meeting and business solutions showcase. It was the largest gathering of independent school business leaders across North America to date, where topics of enrolment, risk management, fundraising, campus planning, food services, marketing and communications, financial planning, and technology innovation were explored with delegates and industry partners. I was challenged to imagine the future educational landscape (I can assure you, not an easy task even for someone deemed an “expert”) and returned home fully reassured about Crescent’s operational health.
Getting out of the “Crescent bubble” always provokes in me much contemplation and reflection, whether personal or professional. In my travels this year, I have found myself listening to and participating in many conversations about AI, including the future of human intelligence as more of what surrounds us becomes synthetic and agentic. I have been fully reassured by Crescent’s Technology and Innovation team leaders, who support students with frameworks for ethical use, lead staff professional training and development, and accompany parents as they navigate challenges at home.
I’ve heard concerns about how technology is changing the way we interact. I think we all feel (or should feel) that something new and different is happening to us. Part of this crossroads in school, I believe, lies at the intersection of preserving our own humanity and unleashing our best technology. Like with all technological revolutions, this current change will afford people the opportunity to reinvent themselves by developing and harnessing new skills. For Adam Grant, the renowned organizational psychologist whose insights on AI focus on how humans can adapt and thrive alongside it, “the most important skill for creativity is no longer original thinking. It’s taste and tenacity. In the age of AI, ideas are abundant. Good judgment and execution are scarce. The future belongs to those who excel at finding and applying the signal in the noise.”
Indeed, Crescent’s way forward is clearly outlined in Breakthrough 2030. We provide our boys with a character-infused, modern, and relevant education through relational, active, and experiential learning, led by caring, supportive, and loving staff. This way, we will remain a school fully invested in our boys’ lives. This decision is not just existential but practical. We seek to meet the moment and reach our next level of institutional excellence by preserving the humanity of our students, encouraging them to interrogate the vital questions: Who am I? How do I lead? What is my legacy?
