One of the Internet’s most popular science YouTubers took to the Perimeter Institute stage on April 7 for a discussion about the future of education and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Presented by Derek Muller of Veritasium as part of the ongoing Perimeter Presents speaker series, the talk tackled universal themes about teaching and learning. Open to both the general public and Perimeter community, the talk was featured as part of Perimeter’s Theory + AI Symposium, an event that brought together physicists, engineers, AI researchers, and entrepreneurs to explore the future of AI within theoretical physics.
Derek Muller is a science communicator, filmmaker, and creator of the popular YouTube channel Veritasium, an element of truth, which has over 17.5 million subscribers. With a PhD in physics education, he’s spent over a decade creating videos that challenge misconceptions and make complex science accessible. He has also hosted a documentary series and contributed to Bill Nye Saves the World on Netflix.
In his talk, Muller shared several of his own person-on-the-street videos in his trademark storytelling style to illustrate his passion for education and the need for improved science literacy. He discussed how the human brain learns and interprets information, and how technologies such as AI can influence our ability to learn.
The bottom line? Muller argues that AI has its place in helping learners to access information, but effortful practice, including trying and failing, is what powers learning. Access to information – in the form of books or AI – is not the largest barrier to learning. Muller argues the most effective way to learn continues to be in a room with students, good teachers, and the time to talk.
“The local teachers in the audience and those watching around the world felt heard, seen and empowered about the future of education,” says Ashley McCarl Palmer, a Teacher in Residence at Perimeter. “As a teacher myself, I am so grateful for this message. This talk has created powerful waves across the teaching community, not just locally but globally.”
About PI
Perimeter Institute is the world’s largest research hub devoted to theoretical physics. The independent Institute was founded in 1999 to foster breakthroughs in the fundamental understanding of our universe, from the smallest particles to the entire cosmos. Research at Perimeter is motivated by the understanding that fundamental science advances human knowledge and catalyzes innovation, and that today’s theoretical physics is tomorrow’s technology. Located in the Region of Waterloo, the not-for-profit Institute is a unique public-private endeavour, including the Governments of Ontario and Canada, that enables cutting-edge research, trains the next generation of scientific pioneers, and shares the power of physics through award-winning educational outreach and public engagement.
