AI: Helping Us Think, Not Thinking for Us
Dr Areti (Ari) Metuamate
End of semester letter to students from Dr Areti (Ari) Metuamate, Master and Head of Ormond College
Sunday 21 June 2026
We should not assume that technological progress and human progress are the same thing.
Dear Students,As we come to the end of Semester One, I want to take the opportunity to reflect on what has been a busy, rewarding and, at times, challenging first half of the year.Over the past few months, I have seen our students excel academically, compete on sporting fields, contribute through volunteering, take on leadership roles and, perhaps most importantly, support one another through the inevitable ups and downs that accompany university life. Of course, there have also been some less positive experiences, which I would like to see as learning opportunities. I am grateful that people have taken responsibility, learned from them, and moved forward.As I often say, a residential college is about much more than just accommodation. It is a community in which people learn not only from their studies, but from one another. Every conversation over dinner, every Fridays@1 discussion, every sub committee meeting, every intercollegiate sporting contest, and every act of friendship contributes to the formation of the people we become. That has always been the great strength of Ormond.As I have reflected on the semester, I have found myself thinking more about that ever-present topic that has increasingly dominated discussions in universities, workplaces, and society more broadly: Artificial Intelligence (AI).Recently one of the world’s leading artificial intelligence companies, Anthropic, the creators of Claude, made headlines by suggesting that the pace of AI development may need to slow. Their concern is not simply that AI is becoming more powerful. Rather, it is that the technology is advancing so rapidly that society, governments and institutions may struggle to keep pace with the changes it brings. Whether or not you agree with that assessment, it is striking that some of the people building these technologies are among those calling for caution.Like many of you, I am excited by what artificial intelligence can do. AI is already helping people work more efficiently, analyse information more effectively, and undertake tasks that once required significantly more time and effort. It has enormous potential to improve our lives. Last week I was speaking with someone who told me they saw two significant benefits in AI. First, it helps them with their thinking. Second, it helps them to be more efficient. I thought that was a useful way of putting it. Both seem highly desirable. If AI can help us test ideas, consider alternative perspectives, organise our thoughts more clearly and work more efficiently, that is surely a good thing.The challenge, however, is ensuring that helping us think does not become thinking for us.My concern is not about what AI might become, but what we might become if we stop exercising some of the very capabilities that education is designed to develop. The process of learning is not simply about obtaining answers. It is about developing the habits of mind that enable us to ask good questions, wrestle with difficult ideas, think critically, solve problems, exercise judgement, and engage thoughtfully with the people and world around us. The question is not whether AI will become smarter. That’s going to happen anyway. It’s happening every single day. The question is whether we will continue to do the hard work required to become not just smarter, but wiser. I ask this of each of us as individuals, and of all of us as a community. There is a risk that, if we become overly dependent on technologies that can think, write, and create on our behalf, we may lose some of the intellectual capabilities that previous generations had to develop for themselves. I am not sure if that worries you, but it worries me. Don’t get me wrong, we absolutely should embrace the opportunities that AI presents, but we should do so thoughtfully and with a clear understanding of what must never be outsourced. Chief among those things is our capacity to think for ourselves. To do the heavy lifting with our own brains, because our minds grow and develop through hard work and effort. As one of my teachers always used to say to me, the value of an essay is not the essay itself. The value is the thinking required to write it.We should also not assume that technological progress and human progress are the same thing. History shows us that new technologies can create enormous benefits while also presenting significant social and ethical challenges. As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in our institutions, businesses, and daily lives, we will need to consider the kind of society we wish to build, not merely the technologies we are capable of creating.In recognition of both the opportunities and challenges presented by artificial intelligence, as I mentioned at Scholars Dinner this semester, Ormond has established an Advisory Group on AI and the Future of Learning. The group brings together students, staff, and external experts from a range of fields to help us think carefully about how AI will shape higher education, residential college life, and the development of you as future contributors and leaders in our society. Its role is not simply to consider how AI can be adopted, but to examine how it can be used responsibly in ways that enhance learning rather than diminish it. We want to ensure that Ormond students are equipped to thrive in a world where AI will become increasingly present, while preserving the critical thinking, intellectual curiosity, creativity, and human connection that remain at the heart of a university education.The work of this group reflects my broader belief that institutions such as Ormond should not passively respond to technological change. We have a responsibility to engage with it, understand it, help shape it where we can and ensure that it serves the development of people rather than the other way around.Your representatives on the advisory group are Eddie Wang and Hugh Andrews. Please speak with them if you have ideas or concerns you would like the group to consider. We will also be engaging more broadly with students about how AI is being used and how we can best support your learning journey. Based on my conversations with many of you, I know this is a space you are navigating every day, and so your insights really do matter if Ormond is going to do anything meaningful here. Can I end this message by saying that I suspect that the qualities that will matter most in the age of artificial intelligence are the very qualities that have always mattered most: wisdom, judgement, integrity, empathy, courage, leadership and the ability to bring people together in pursuit of a common purpose. These are profoundly human qualities, and we are humans after all. These things cannot be automated, and they remain as important for Ormond College and Ormondians today as they have ever been in our 145-year history. So, as we head into the semester break, I want you to think a bit about this email, and AI, but only once you have had time to rest, recharge, and reflect on what you have achieved so far this year. University life moves quickly, and it is easy to focus on what remains to be done rather than what has already been accomplished. I am sure you have worked hard this semester, and if not then I know you will next semester 😊 Thank you for your contribution to our community. Ormond is a remarkable place because of its people, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve as Master and to be part of this community alongside you. I wish you a safe and restful break, send my regards to your parents/family, and I look forward to welcoming you back for Semester Two (unless you are leaving for exchange or graduating, in which case please send me an email with your plans so I can keep in touch). Warm regards,Ari