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Are Universities on Their Last Legs? Why the Age of AI Demands an Overhaul in Higher Education


As behavior analysts, we know environments shape behavior, and the university environment is rapidly changing. With AI reshaping how knowledge is accessed, universities are facing an unprecedented challenge to their survival. The once-tangible value of lecture-based education is slipping, as students can now access vast resources instantly and often for free. 


The takeaway? Universities need to change their approach, or risk becoming relics. To stay relevant, they must pivot toward human-led research and away from passive, professor-to-student instruction. Let’s examine how this can happen.


Shifting the Reinforcers: Why Knowledge Transfer Isn’t Enough

Traditionally, universities have reinforced behaviors around attending lectures, passing exams, and earning degrees. But with AI at every student’s fingertips, this reinforcement structure is weakening.


What can universities do?

  • Focus on Research-Based Discovery: Unlike AI, which operates on static data, humans contact the environment directly. Research requires real-time observation, experimentation, and manipulation of variables, all things AI can’t do. This makes human-driven research an irreplaceable function.

  • Make Universities Hubs of Innovation, Not Information Repositories: AI is great for accessing knowledge, but innovation happens through hands-on experience and interaction with real-world complexities. Universities can be places where students don’t just learn, they discover.


Educational “Reformation” 2.0: Has AI Become the New Printing Press?

The invention of the printing press initially empowered the Church, enabling the mass distribution of Bibles. But soon, individuals began reading and interpreting these texts themselves. Religious gatekeeping was disrupted, and the Church lost exclusive control over knowledge.


Sound familiar?


AI has given students a similar direct line to information, bypassing the traditional “gatekeeping” role of universities. With a phone in hand, students can learn on their own schedule, at their own pace.


Implications for Universities:

  • Provide Unique Reinforcers Beyond Information: Just as behavior analysts know that only reinforcing behavior for rote answers can lead to shallow learning, universities should move away from merely delivering content.

  • Embrace Experiences That AI Can’t Offer: Humans, not AI, have the ability to engage in ethics, social interaction, and interdisciplinary inquiry. Universities should focus on offering collaborative, discussion-based, and project-focused education.


The New Mandate: From Lecture Halls to Ethical Inquiry and Human Connection

As behavior analysts, we emphasize that long-term consequences often shape behavior more than immediate ones. In this new era, universities can reassert their value by reinforcing behaviors associated with critical thinking and ethical inquiry, qualities AI lacks.


Here’s why:

  • Ethical Decision-Making is Critical in the AI Age: Universities can help students understand the ethical dimensions of AI. Privacy, bias, and data ethics are complex, requiring moral reasoning and societal impact awareness.

  • Train Students in Complex Social Skills and Ethical Standards: AI might have the answers, but only humans can weigh moral implications and consider cultural contexts. Universities should create environments where students learn to make ethically sound choices, something that aligns with our field’s emphasis on socially valid outcomes.


Conclusion: Will Universities Adapt OR Perish?

The age of AI presents a profound challenge to higher education. Universities have a choice: cling to outdated models or evolve by focusing on areas where human expertise is irreplaceable.


What would this look like?

  • Becoming Centers of Applied Learning and Innovation: Move from lectures to labs. From theory to practice. From information to inquiry.

  • Focusing on Real-World Impact and Ethical Decision-Making: As behavior analysts, we value socially significant change. Universities should shift toward producing not just knowledgeable graduates, but ethically sound and research-savvy ones.


The message is clear: Universities must rethink their value if they want to survive. By focusing on discovery, ethical inquiry, and hands-on research, they can remain relevant. But the time to act is now.


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Melissa Druskis, BCBA

Founder & Editor-In-Chief

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@ 2024 by Behavior Brain Magazine

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