Introduction

This video was first recommended to me by one of my former students who went on to study at Carnegie Mellon University. At first, I’ll admit, I was a little sceptical. There are so many talks about AI these days, and too often they fall into the same clichés about how it will “change everything.” But when I sat down to watch Po-Shen Loh’s talk, I quickly realised it was something very different. Thoughtful, original, and deeply human, it was in a completely different class from the usual AI commentary.

This is the question explored by Po-Shen Loh, a mathematician, professor at Carnegie Mellon University, social entrepreneur, and former national coach of the USA International Mathematical Olympiad team. Known for blending rigorous mathematics with a passion for education and society, Loh brings both intellectual weight and human warmth to the debate on AI.

In his recent talk, he delivers a striking message: the future of humanity lies not in competing with machines on intelligence or creativity, but in nurturing thoughtfulness, empathy, and the ability to create value for others.

Who Is Po-Shen Loh?

Po-Shen Loh is a mathematician specialising in discrete mathematics, graph theory, and probabilistic methods. After graduating top of his class from Caltech and earning a PhD from Princeton, he joined Carnegie Mellon University, where he teaches mathematics in a unique, interactive style that encourages students to think critically rather than simply memorise solutions.

Beyond academia, Loh is a social entrepreneur. He founded Expii, a free platform for personalised maths and science learning, and created Live, an interactive livestream program where high schoolers teach younger students critical thinking skills with coaching from professional actors. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he also developed NOVID, a contact-tracing app with a novel privacy-preserving model.

As national coach of the USA International Mathematical Olympiad team (2014–2023), Loh led his students to multiple first-place finishes. Today, as Vice-President of the IMO Foundation, he continues to shape global mathematics education.

His work reflects a consistent philosophy: mathematics and technology are not ends in themselves, but tools to make society more thoughtful, empathetic, and resilient.

Highlights from the Talk

Beyond Creativity

Loh begins with a surprising admission. Once, he thought creativity was humanity’s safeguard against AI. But when Google’s AI solved four of six International Math Olympiad problems—designed to be original and unprecedented—he reconsidered.

“The creativity in AI can probably surpass what we can do, too. The only unique thing about human intelligence is that we hopefully care that humans still exist.”

The Role of Language and Learning

One of Loh’s strongest warnings is about education. Students using AI to complete writing assignments risk losing the very skills—language, logic, and communication—that underpin critical thinking.

“Using AI to do your writing homework is like saying: I’m not going to run a mile for exercise, I’m going to drive my car one mile for exercise. How much exercise do you get? None.”

Testing Real Intelligence

In his interviews with students, Loh deliberately presents problems they’ve never seen before. His interest is not whether they succeed immediately, but how they respond: Do they synthesise hints? Do they adapt quickly?

“The expectation is that you won’t solve it. What I want to see is how you think.”

Empathy as Survival

More important than raw creativity, Loh argues, is empathy. As AI takes over more tasks, survival in the human sense will depend on our ability to create value for others and to form authentic, cooperative relationships.

“If you are not motivated by creating value for others, you are a bad partner—and people will not want to team with you.”

Simulating the World

Loh describes a personal habit: using AI not to outsource thinking, but to strengthen his own mental simulations of the world.

“I wasn’t using the AI to write the report for me. I was using AI to make myself better.”

Shifting Life’s Philosophy

From his years coaching elite students, Loh saw how raw competition often left brilliant young people depressed or aimless.

“The philosophy in life should not be how do I outdo everyone else? The addictive part is making other people happy.”

Scaling Critical Thinking

Through his Live platform, Loh has built an ecosystem where high schoolers develop communication and leadership by teaching maths to younger peers, with professional coaching from actors. It is, in his words, a “win-win system.”

“If you can convince anybody to love math, you can convince anybody to do anything.”

The Dangers of Losing Thoughtfulness

Loh warns that if people give up thinking, two dangers emerge: loss of individuality and vulnerability to deception.

“If you can’t think for yourself and you just listen to some authority, what if that agenda is actually to your detriment? You’ll have no way of knowing.”

Hope and Social Entrepreneurship

Despite these challenges, Loh is an optimist. He finds hope in the growing networks of thoughtful, empathetic young people he mentors, many of whom are choosing paths of social entrepreneurship.

Key Takeaways

  1. Creativity is no longer uniquely human. AI can be creative, but humans must go further.
  2. Language and logic are foundational. Writing and reasoning skills are essential for independent thinking.
  3. Empathy is survival. The future belongs to those who can create value for others and work authentically in teams.
  4. AI should enhance, not replace, thoughtfulness. Use it to strengthen your own reasoning, not to avoid thinking.
  5. Fulfilment comes from delighting others. Competition alone leads to emptiness; contribution leads to meaning.
  6. Networks of kind, clever people matter. Building resilient, thoughtful communities is essential for facing future challenges.

Further Reading & Resources

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