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Re-learning How You Learn

AI is upending how we learn, and we need to grapple with just how big a change this is. Let’s consider the ways AI changes learning and how to take advantage of those changes.




Speed: 1 Minute-learning

Imagine someone mentions Chris Argyris and double-loop learning. You think “I should probably know what that is” but feel you don’t have time to dig into it. However, AI is so good at giving answers that you can easily learn about many things in less than one minute. So yes, you do have time to dig into it because it takes less than a minute.


How to leverage AI speed

  • Keep an LLM (e.g. ChatGPT) open at all times.

  • If practical, also have a voice-activated tool, like Alexa at hand.  Sometimes asking verbally is easier than typing something into the PC.

  • Most importantly, build the habit of investing one minute in learning several times a day. Recognize that given how fast and easy it is to educate yourself, you are remiss not to do so.


Depth: Doing thorough research

Perhaps you’ve been given the task of improving your exit interview process. You probably have many ideas about this, but you know you really ought to research the topic thoroughly before proceeding. In the past, you probably didn’t have time to do extensive research so you would just look up an article or two and that would be it. However, now LLMs do a great job of researching just about any topic, so there’s no reason not to do deep research before you start a new project.


How to leverage AI depth

  • Use the Deep Research button on your LLM to generate a comprehensive report on the topic of interest.

  • Ponder what you like and don’t like about the Deep Research report then fine-tune your prompt accordingly. For example, perhaps you want a narrower focus or a shorter report. If so, then tell the LLM that’s what you want.

  • Use one of the tools that search academic resources such as Elicit.com to see what peer-reviewed research exists on your topic.

  • Most importantly, build the habit of doing an in-depth study of the topic you are working on rather than relying on your existing knowledge.  Recognize that given how fast and easy it is to do deep research and academic research, you are remiss not to do so.


Difficulty: Dialogue with a tutor

Imagine an HR tech vendor is boasting about their new graph database which is why you should buy their product. You think, “I’ve never heard of a graph database and I’m not a techie”, and so you just take the vendor's word for it.  Now, you can have your LLM gently tutor you through exactly what you need to know about a wide variety of complicated topics.


How to leverage AI’s ability to handle difficult topics

  • Let the LLM know where you are coming from. You can use the classic prompt “Explain it to me as if I were a 5-year-old.”

  • Ask the LLM to give you an outline of the elements of the topic that you might want to dig into or else propose a curriculum of study.

  • Keep asking follow-up questions to go as deep or as broad as you need.

  • Ask whatever is on your mind even if it seems unlikely the LLM will be able to answer. For example, if you have some odd thoughts such as “Would a graph database be of any use in my favourite hobby of bird watching?” then just ask. You never know what your AI tutor will come up with.

  • Remember the AI is infinitely patient, keep asking questions for as long as you need. Feel free to repeat questions it’s already answered more than once.

  • Most importantly, build the habit of using AI to dig into difficult subjects you avoided before.  Recognize that given how fast and easy it is to use AI as a patient tutor, you are remiss not to do so.


Catching your breath

LLMs are so good at helping you learn that they can knock the breath out of you. You’ve barely posed your question, and you get an answer so complete and nuanced that it is a challenge to keep up. It takes some practice to leverage all the power of LLMs as learning tools, and some time to get emotionally tuned into all the power. You don’t need to rush it, but you should be using LLMs many times a day to accelerate your learning. LLMs are creating a revolution in learning, you’d be remiss not to take part.

 
 
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