6. To my friends
As we come to the end of this course, although it’s only been a few short weeks, I hope you’ve gained some new insights. Before we close this course, I’d like to share some of my thoughts on how we can teach and learn in this new era of AI.
As we all know, large language models today are capable of effectively handling many tasks such as information retrieval, summarizing, and engaging in natural conversations with us. Computer programming is no longer a barrier either. So, how can we make the most of AI tools for learning?
I believe that, first, you need some foundational knowledge in the field you’re studying. If I were to use AI tools to learn medicine from scratch, I would still feel quite uncertain. Therefore, having a certain level of foundational knowledge is crucial for leveraging AI tools effectively in learning. Second, more than ever before, we should shift our focus from acquiring knowledge to understanding and thinking critically about it. If we can truly understand the knowledge and grasp its key points, the things we learn become dynamic and alive. This means we can continue to expand and evolve our knowledge system. Especially in the AI era, if the knowledge we learn is alive, we can constantly engage with this knowledgeable “teacher,” converse, and learn in a way that allows us to rapidly grow and expand our knowledge framework.
I hope that this course can help you in both of the two aspects as you continue your journey in learning machine learning. This course will continue to be offered next spring, and I already have some ideas on how to better integrate the two parts and add new content. I hope you all will provide me with suggestions and point out areas for improvement so that we can make this course even better.
Finally, I hope everyone can experience the joy of machine learning. Wishing you all a brighter tomorrow and continued success in your learning journey.
Wishing you all the best!
Xijia (Sia) Liu
March 3rd, 2025, Umeå
