“Is AI going to make us all stupid? Are we going to forget how to think for ourselves?” These questions have been dancing around in the minds of many as we take significant strides into the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The creators of Oboe, a recently launched AI education platform, are embracing these dialogues head-on. In answer to these apprehensions, they confidently declare: no.
This faith in AI as an enhancer, rather than a destroyer, of human intelligence, fuels the mission of Oboe. The recently emerged startup’s goal is to demystify the ambiguous nature of AI and place its potential right into the hands of its users. Oboe employs AI to design tailored “courses” aimed at satisfying the intellectual curiosity of its users, wrapping any chosen topic into a neat, personalised learning experience. This innovative approach hints at a future where learning can be detailed, engaging and most importantly, fit into the pockets of learners worldwide.
Oboe is the brainchild of the creators of Anchor, a do-it-yourself mini-podcast creation platform. This venture, which garnered a lot of attention for its novel approach, was acquired by Spotify for a whopping $150 million. Nir Zicherman, the CEO and one of Oboe’s founders, ascended to lead Spotify’s audiobooks vertical after the acquisition, broadening his horizons within audio-based content and platforms.
In this new endeavor, he, along with co-founder Mike Mignano, aim to harness AI as a partner in education, crafting individualised learning matters and transforming how knowledge is gained and understood. Their goal is to leverage technology and dispel the uneasiness, shifting the narrative of AI from a potential threat to an ingenious accomplice to human intellect.
The effect of AI on cognition and the human capability to learn has long been a contentious debate. However, with platforms like Oboe, the chances are that we will not forget how to “think for ourselves.” Instead, we might learn how to adapt our thinking to effectively extract the benefits of AI, continually invigorating our intellectual capabilities, both individually and collectively.
As AI continues to permeate our lives, it is no longer a question of if or when — rather, it’s how we choose to adapt it into our everyday realities. With Oboe showcasing such a harmonious pairing of AI and education, it’s palpable that this sophisticated technology isn’t set to make us all “stupid.” On the contrary, it rubs out the lines that segment our dominant learning systems and introduces an innovative, personalised approach to learning, signaling not an end, but a fresh start to human intellectual evolution.
