The Robots Are Studying Too

How AI is changing the way we learn (and why you might want to panic just a little).

Author

Ray Blakney
April 15, 2025

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Hi, this is Ray.

Let me start with a confession: I once spent three hours trying to figure out how to fix a broken printer before realizing it wasn’t plugged in. So, I say this with the utmost humility… if I can learn how to use AI to supercharge the way I learn, you can too.

Because here’s the truth: if you’re not using AI to learn in 2025, you’re basically trying to win a Formula 1 race on a tricycle.

AI Isn't Coming for Your Job. It Already Took It. (Kinda.)

We need to stop thinking about AI as some Skynet-wannabe that's plotting to turn us all into batteries. The real threat? Falling behind.

AI isn’t replacing learners—it’s empowering them. But only the ones who know how to use it. It's not about being replaced by AI. It's about being replaced by a person who uses AI better than you do.

It's the equivalent of showing up to a lightsaber duel with a pool noodle.

Learning 1.0 Was Books. 2.0 Was Google. Now We're at 3.0: AI

If Google made us all trivia champions, AI makes us Jedi Masters. Here’s what’s possible now:

  • Customized Study Partners: You can create an AI tutor that knows your learning style better than your 8th grade science teacher ever did.

  • Instant Feedback: Writing an essay? An AI can give you feedback on structure, grammar, and even tone—before you hit submit.

  • Knowledge Gap Spotting: AI can track your weaknesses and drill you on them until they're strengths.

I used to waste hours deciding which productivity app would make me a better learner. Now? My AI tells me when I’m slacking off and suggests what to study next. It's like having a personal coach, minus the judgmental eyebrows.

Real Talk: You Can’t Afford to Ignore This

Here’s what people don’t tell you: staying up-to-date with AI isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s table stakes. If you’re not experimenting with tools like ChatGPT, Claude, or even old-school AI like Anki with smart scheduling, you’re basically using dial-up in a 5G world.

I know that sounds intense. But you know what else is intense? Competing in a marketplace where the 18-year-old who just graduated from high school is out-researching you with a free chatbot.

Use AI to Learn Differently, Not Just Faster

Look, I get it. The temptation is to use AI to do your work for you. (I mean, I asked it to write a birthday card to my wife once. It was... weirdly romantic?) But that’s not the point.

The real magic happens when you use AI to learn in new ways:

  • Teach Back: Prompt your AI to play the role of a confused student. Try explaining a concept to it. If it still sounds confused, guess what? You are too.

  • Simulation Practice: Studying negotiation? Have a debate with your AI. Practicing for a job interview? Let AI grill you like a mid-2000s Gordon Ramsay.

  • Spaced Repetition, But Smarter: Combine AI with your learning style (visual, auditory, kinesthetic) and have it quiz you in a format your brain actually likes.

The Excuses Are Gone. The Opportunity Is Here.

In the past, you could excuse not learning something by saying you didn’t have access to a teacher, coach, or school. But now? You literally have access to Einstein, Shakespeare, and Tony Robbins rolled into one - and available 24/7, without needing to take a bathroom break.

And yes, it sometimes hallucinates facts like a sleep-deprived raccoon. But used properly, it can 10x your learning in a matter of weeks.

I built an entire course with the help of AI. (No, it didn’t write the course, but it did save me about 50 hours of research time.) My students? They’re using it to create flashcards, quizzes, summaries, and even practice scenarios in their niche industries. I had one student train an AI to act like an annoying manager so they could practice assertiveness. That’s both brilliant and mildly concerning.

So, What Should You Do Right Now?

  • Try out free tools like ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity.

  • Ask them to explain something you’re struggling with.

  • Then ask them to quiz you on it.

  • Then ask them to debate you.

You’ll be amazed.

Or you could... not. You could keep learning like it’s 1995, using textbooks and wishful thinking. And you could also try beating a robot at chess using only your shoe. Your choice.

Just don’t say I didn’t warn you when your next job interview is conducted by an AI and it asks, "Why did you never update your learning method after 2023?"

Stay nerdy, stay curious, and for the love of the future, stay updated.

-Ray

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