Founder and CEO of Generation1.ca, Professor Arundati Dandapani will be presenting her research paper Brains over Bots: Critical Thinking in the Age of Artificial General Intelligence at Humber Polytechnic’s FLAS Forward Symposium on August 27, 2025, Wednesday.
As classrooms and workplaces are increasingly shaped by the anticipation (or fear) of artificial general intelligence (AGI), one truth stands firm: critical thinking remains one of the most essential and future-proof skills across all sectors. This session offers a grounded and realistic look at the current and future state of AI, exploring how postsecondary students, faculty, and staff must reframe their understanding of skills, assessment, and competency to prepare for a rapidly evolving world of intelligent systems.
Through real-world examples, primary and secondary research, and speculative AGI scenarios, we will explore how to strengthen the human core of work (critical thinking- the most essential skill in colleagues rated by employers of Generation1.ca’s Global Industry Skills Study) while developing the technical fluencies needed for success in data- and AI-rich environments. Participants will learn how to cultivate uniquely human strengths such as ethical reasoning, curiosity, systems thinking, and adaptability—skills that machines cannot replicate but which are vital in the age of automation.
Rooted in the interdisciplinary mission of Humber’s Faculty of Liberal Arts & Sciences that hosts this forum, this session highlights how critical thinking, communication, and analytical literacy are foundational to student engagement, success and lifelong learning. The session will also offer ideas and examples of practical strategies that are and could be employed to update pedagogical practices, rethink evaluation methods, and co-create inclusive, future-facing learning environments that reflect the realities of today’s learners and tomorrow’s world of work.
