Are we entering an age of Artificial Intelligence… or Human Stupidity?

In this provocative recording, Dr. Luke Rowe takes us on a tour of the most pressing questions in education today. With clarity and balance, he explores how AI is not just transforming how we teach—but threatening how we think. AI poses both risks for stupidity and opportunities for intelligence like we've never seen before.

This is an audio-version of the original video presentation found on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/XFMX9RSodwg

What You’ll Learn:

• How standardisation and mass production could undermine teaching (and our humanity)
• What the “Cognitive Couch Potato” effect means for your brain and learning
• How AI accelerates production at the expense of creativity and individuality
• Whether AI will complement or replace our experience of reality—and why that matters
• Why the future belongs to educators who make AI their slave, not their master
• And the most important choice an educator will ever make: to combine their own intelligence with AI, or risk defaulting into human stupidity by sticking our heads in the sand.


Whether you're a teacher, policymaker, parent or curious learner, this session will challenge your assumptions and invite you to reflect on the choices we face.

00:00 - Introduction: AI or Human Stupidity?
02:00 - Technological Revolutions
06:50 - AI vs Human Intelligence: Key Differences
16:18 - Job Markets in 2030: Created, Destroyed, or Transformed?
24:00 - The Bokanovskification of Education: Mass Production of Knowledge (and Teachers)
35:20 - The Cognitive Couch Potato Effect: Outsourcing Thinking
42:30 - The Sludgification of Education: Ranganath’s Funnel to Mediocrity
51:15 - The Rise of Anti-Reality: When Virtual Replaces Real
59:50 - When Does More becomes Less? Expectation Creep and Jevons’ Paradox
1:03:35 - The Wisdom Era and Fulfilling Promises: Are we the 'Homo Sapiens' (Wise Species)?
1:05:47 - Final Reflections: The Three-Peak Principle and the Future of Education


🎓 About Me:
I'm Dr. Luke Rowe, a university lecturer and learning scientist in Melbourne, Australia. My mission is to empower people through powerful, evidence-based education—whether on YouTube, at university, in classrooms, or conferences.

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Here are some ways you can follow me on social media and show your support for this podcast:

• X [Twitter] (@LukeIRowe)
• Website (http://www.powerfullearning.net)
• YouTube (@PowerfulLearningHub, with Luke Rowe, Ph.D.)

In this episode (Part 2 of 2), we dive even deeper into the science of intelligence and how Google's Notebook LM measures up. Dr. Luke Rowe continues to put Google's Notebook LM podcast feature to the test, exploring cutting-edge research on how intelligence develops, changes, and can be nurtured throughout life. From the genetics of intelligence to the impact of emotions and brain health, we tackle the science behind what makes us smart—and how we can stay sharp.

In this episode:
✅ The CHC Model of Intelligence
✅ Do Brain Training Apps Really Work?
✅ Intelligence Across the Lifespan
✅ Genetics vs. Environment in Intelligence
✅ Emotional Intelligence (EQ) vs. IQ
✅ Intelligence, Consciousness, and Creativity
✅ Group Differences in Intelligence Research
✅ Brain Health, Cognitive Reserve, and Plasticity
✅ Actionable Strategies to Boost Intelligence

Video Version: You can watch the YouTube video version here: https://youtu.be/NDaNnlEQ3Bg

Whether you're curious about how intelligence evolves or want to apply science-backed strategies to boost your own mental performance, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.

📌 Timestamps:
0:00 Intro to Part 2
1:55 CHC model of intellignce
5:00 Brain Training Apps: Do they Work?
11:05 Intelligence Over a Lifetime
17:30 Genetics of Intelligence
21:15 Emotions and Intelligence (EQ vs. IQ)
28:00 Intelligence and Consciousness
30:51 Creative Genius and Intelligence
34:48 Intelligence Cognitive Reserve
37:45 Intelligence and Group Racial Differences
43:22 Does DEI Have a Place in Intelligence Research?
46:42 Brain Health and Staying Sharp
47:15 Boosting Intelligence
51:21 Intelligence and Plasticity (Avoiding Cognitive Decline)
56:07 Final Thoughts and Key Takeaways

🔔 Subscribe for more science-backed insights on learning, psychology, and human intelligence!

🎓 About Me: I'm Luke Rowe, Ph.D. in learning sciences, dedicated to making the science of learning accessible and practical for everyone. My passion is helping people think, learn, and teach more effectively.

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💬 Comment below with your thoughts or questions.

🔗 Listen to the Powerful Learning Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google/YouTube Podcasts.

📢 Share this podcast with anyone curious about intelligence, learning, and the power of the mind!

DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the creator, Luke Rowe, and do not reflect the views or interests of any third parties, including any past, present, or future institutions or employers.

Here are some ways you can follow me on social media and show your support for this podcast:

• X [Twitter] (@LukeIRowe)
• Website (http://www.powerfullearning.net)
• YouTube (@PowerfulLearningHub, with Luke Rowe, Ph.D.)

In this episode (Part 1 of 2), an intelligence expert puts Google's new Notebook LM podcast feature to the test. Join Dr. Luke Rowe, as we listen to a podcast on the topic of intelligence that was generated by Google's Gemini LLM via Notebook LM. Can we trust AI to give us an accurate account of human (and non-human) intelligence? Where does AI go wrong and what does it get right? We'll explore what truly shapes intelligence. Is it genetics or environment? Can intelligence be improved, or is it fixed from birth? How much difference can education make on our intelligence? We'll uncover answers to these questions and more, including:

✅ How scientists define and measure intelligence
✅ The idea of the 'g-factor' and its relevance to every day life
✅ The difference between intelligence and intelligence tests (IQ tests)
✅ The link between intelligence and academic achievement
✅ How genetics and environment influence intelligence (Nature vs. Nurture)
✅ Are there different types of intelligence and, if so, what are they
✅ Proven strategies to nurture and grow your intelligence
✅ The role of education in shaping cognitive abilities

Whether you're curious about how human intelligence works or looking for ways to improve your learning and thinking skills, and growing your own IQ, this episode has everything you need to know.

📌 Timestamps:
0:00 Intro to Intelligence
3:50 Notebook LM podcast
5:10 Academic Achievement vs. Cognitive Ability
7:05 The G-Factor Explained
13:46 How much difference do teachers make to academic outcomes?
16:35 How Education Impacts Intelligence
20:00 Intelligence Across the Lifespan
21:10 Nature vs. Nurture on Intelligence
25:30 Intelligence and the Brain
32:20 Will Improving Intelligence Improve the World?
38:00 Non-Human Intelligence
40:20 Intelligence and Career Success
50:00 Shared Influences on Intelligence
57:20 Neural Efficiency Hypothesis
1:01:00 Intelligence is Not the Same as Human Worth
1:04:30 The Cattell-Horn-Carroll Theory of Human Intelligence (CHC Theory)
1:07:40 Outro

🔔 Subscribe for more insights on the science of learning, human cognitive abilities, psychology, learning, and education!

🎓 About Me: I'm Luke Rowe, Ph.D. in learning sciences, and I’m passionate about teaching and sharing the latest insights from the brain and learning sciences to help you learn, teach, and communicate more effectively.

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Comment 💬 below with your thoughts or questions.

🔗 Stay Connected: Powerful Learning Podcast: Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google/YouTube Podcasts.

📢 Share this episode with someone who could benefit from listening! Until next time—keep learning powerfully!

DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the creator, Luke Rowe, and do not reflect the views or interests of any third parties, including any past, present, or future institutions or employers.

Here are some ways you can follow me on social media and show your support for this podcast:

• X [Twitter] (@LukeIRowe)
• Website (http://www.powerfullearning.net)
• YouTube (@PowerfulLearningHub, with Luke Rowe, Ph.D.)