AI is transforming the way we learn and prompting us to rethink what remains essential in education. For example, the value of making mistakes, developing independent judgement and human relationships. These were some of the key reflections explored during the first session of La Salle – Universitat Ramon Llull's Conversations on Education and AI series, in which Rosa Ma. Alsina, Provost of the campus, and Brother Jorge Sierra, Pastoral Mission Delegate for La Salle in Spain and Portugal (Arlep District), discussed the challenges facing education in the age of AI. The conversation was moderated by Armando Pego, Coordinator of La Salle-URL's Doctoral Programme in Philosophy and Head of campus Pastoral team.
Taking Pope Leo XIV's encyclical Magnifica Humanitas as its starting point, the session, entitled 'Technology and control. The human person and AI', invited participants to reflect on technological development from a human-centred perspective. Organised by the campus Pastoral team, the Conversations on Education and AI series provides an open forum for quarterly dialogue on the impact of artificial intelligence on the educational mission, from a humanist perspective that embraces transcendence.As Armando Pego explained, the aim is to go beyond scientific, technological and pedagogical perspectives and bring spirituality, inner life and transcendence into the debate.
Learning beyond the end result
One of the first themes explored during the conversation was the tension between the immediacy of the results provided by AI — which can sometimes be inaccurate or biased — and the value of the learning process. The speakers reflected on the importance of continuing to develop the ability to understand, question and make decisions. In this context, Rosa Ma. Alsina highlighted "the role of mistakes" as an essential part of personal growth and learning.
Along similar lines, Brother Sierra called for a rethink of learning activities and assessment methods, arguing that educational reflection must go beyond simply banning the use of AI. "I want students to use artificial intelligence. I want them to use it, and I want them to use it well", he stated, emphasising the need to educate students to use technology thoughtfully, ethically and critically.
The irreplaceable value of human relationships
The discussion also emphasised the importance of preserving authentic human experiences in an increasingly digital world. Drawing on several examples, the speakers stressed that education goes beyond the transmission of knowledge and the achievement of results: it is also a space for dialogue and building connections between people, something that AI cannot replace.
In this regard, Alsina highlighted "the university's responsibility to foster and promote these relationships", emphasising the importance of cross-disciplinary projects and of educating not only good professionals but also empathetic individuals with independent judgement and the ability to connect with others. For his part, Brother Sierra underlined the role of the university "as a space for critical thinking and authentic relationships" in the face of AI's ability to simulate human communication, empathy and closeness.
Technology, humanism and spirituality: a perspective on the future of AI
The conversation also addressed some of the risks associated with the use of AI, such as the apparent objectivity of its responses, the danger of delegating independent judgement to AI systems and the concentration of technological development in the hands of large corporations. Echoing Pope Leo XIV in his encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, the speakers agreed on the need to approach this transformation without rejecting technology or uncritically embracing its potential.
The discussion therefore explored not only what AI can do, but, above all, the purposes for which it is used and the consequences it may have. In this regard, Brother Sierra stated that "if AI helps us, as human beings, move a little faster towards where we want to go, then it is welcome". During the Q&A , he has also expressed a hopeful outlook on the future, rooted in his Christian faith. "My hope not only resides in my faith but also in questions like yours", he stated, emphasising that human dignity, as beings created by God, transcends any technological advance.
With this first session of the Conversations on Education and AI series, La Salle-URL opens a space for shared reflection on the challenges of AI in education, which will continue with further sessions in the coming months.