Universities: Championing Resistance Against AI Dominance

On June 11, 2025, a seminar at the Goldsmiths Centre for Philosophy and Critical Thought explored the theme “The role of the University is to resist AI.” Drawing on Ivan Illich’s “Tools for Conviviality,” the speaker argued that AI’s influence on higher education stems from historical neoliberal trends rather than its futuristic allure. Highlighting AI’s opaque nature, the seminar critiqued its reliance on massive data infrastructures and its role in exacerbating workforce precarity. Generative AI is viewed as a mere tool that fails to support critical thinking and creativity, instead potentially leading to a decline in cognitive faculties among students. The speaker posited that universities should challenge the narrative of AI inevitability, emphasizing environmental sustainability, creativity, and social justice. They called for the establishment of “people’s councils on AI” within educational institutions to rigorously evaluate AI’s impact and advocate for a pedagogy that fosters independent thought, ultimately aiming to resist the encroachment of AI in education and society.

Source link