UGDYMAS, ATEITIES ŽMOGUS, DIRBTINIS INTELEKTAS: KELETAS APMĄSTYMŲ [EDUCATION, FUTURE MAN, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: SOME CONSIDERATIONS]

It is fair to say that educating the human being of the future is a highly complex and multifaceted issue, which needs to take into account the ever more rapid changes in society, technology, the economy and so on. It is important that children have the abilities and skills to adapt to a world in which many familiar norms, rules, professions and so on may change or simply disappear. Of course, there are different educational systems, forms, models, etc. But the fundamental questions remain the same: how to understand? How to combine? How to predict? What is even more obvious is that we are at a crossroads. On the one hand, education using the model of the past (which has already happened) is known, understood and quite effective. It is quite another thing when it comes to education for the future (which is likely to happen). There are many unknowns here. But the mission of educators remains the same - to broaden the way we see and understand the world. To survive in a polarised, ever-changing world. It is also clear that the informatisation of society (the information boom) is not only bringing about fundamental changes in the field of communication, but is also leading to profound changes in culture - the balance of cultures is being upset. The "lower" (mass) culture is beginning to dominate over the "upper" (elite) culture. This is undoubtedly manifested in education. A legitimate question is whether the concepts of deconstructivism and postmodernism will really determine the future of education. There is an apparent paradox. The abundance of different technologies (including educational technologies) provides virtually unlimited opportunities for education/learning, but at the same time creates a disconnect from the desire for knowledge, curiosity, exploration. Because, after all, there is the almighty internet and the AI. While the AI liberates people from routine and/or routine operations, how to make meaningful and effective use of this opportunity to develop creative and critical thinking is crucial. In a context of information overload, the ability to distinguish truth from falsehood, to evaluate and analyse data is essential and indispensable. Thus, the person of the future must strive to understand the causes and consequences of what is happening. And here, it seems, we are not inventing something new. The human being of the future needs what the human being of today needs, namely the ability to think logically and systemically, to question and to analyse critically any information that is presented to him or her or that he or she finds. The current education/schooling system does not always respond to the most pressing needs and changes. In fact, it remains too standardised and does not allow for deviation from established norms, which is a definite hindrance to the development of creativity and criticality. So the fundamental issues remain the same for the future. What is the role of education in the development of the individual, society and civilisation? Why is the ability to acquire and transmit knowledge/information essential for human progress? Why is it important to continuously reflect on one's learning and to implement it fully? One thing is clear: the person of the future is an adaptable, globally minded and conscious and purposeful individual. The mission of education is to ensure that the person of the future is able to adapt and live in an ever-changing world full of uncertainties. It is of fundamental importance to educate the individual in various aspects, to provide not only knowledge but also a solid foundation of values. It is not the economy and technology that determine our present, let alone our future, but education/schooling.