AI can improve an answer.
Can it improve our thinking?

As educators examine the gap between polished outputs and genuine understanding, the question for leaders is becoming more urgent: how do we gain from AI while continuing to develop our own judgment?

By Sir Next Tugade Layderos · Main Speaker, THINK BETTER WITH AI

Artificial intelligence can make a difficult task feel easier. It can organize ideas, draft a response, or explain a concept almost instantly. But a convincing answer does not, by itself, tell us whether the person using it has learned.

That distinction is at the heart of a discussion involving MIT educators. In a September 22 MIT News media summary, Professor Eric Klopfer, co-chair of MIT’s Ad Hoc Committee on AI Use in Teaching, Learning, and Research Training, describes an “illusion of learning”: students may submit stronger homework while their exam performance deteriorates.

These observations warrant attention. They should not be read as proof that every use of AI harms learning. They point to a practical concern: the quality of a finished product can conceal gaps in the understanding needed to produce it independently.

When assistance becomes a substitute for judgment

A September 30 MIT News summary records Professor Samuel Madden discussing “cognitive surrender”—relying so heavily on AI that users hand over critical thinking and the development of foundational skills.

For professionals and emerging leaders, the implication extends beyond the classroom. A proposal, research summary, or strategic recommendation may appear complete while leaving its assumptions, evidence, and consequences insufficiently examined. That is a leadership risk whenever an output is accepted without scrutiny.

“AI should not make us think less. It should help us THINK BETTER.”— Sir Next Layderos

A more deliberate way to work with AI

My response is to use AI as a thinking partner. Begin with the problem you need to understand. Ask what evidence supports an answer. Test assumptions, consider alternatives, verify important claims against original sources, and explain the reasoning in your own words before acting.

The measure of progress is more than speed. It is whether we leave the process better able to understand the issue, weigh the choices, and take responsibility for the decision.

From reflection to practical learning

This is the conversation we will bring to THINK BETTER WITH AI, organized by Elevaxion, Inc. through LeadX Academy. Via Delos Reyes will establish a foundation in ethical and responsible AI use; my session will explore practical ways to ask better questions and combine AI assistance with human insight.

Join us on November 6, 2026, from 6:00–8:00 PM at D’Cup Coffee Republic, Kapitolyo, Pasig City. The learning and fundraising event also supports EDUKAAGAPAY’s educational advocacy for scholars.