The Legacy of Knowledge

Jessica Ailen BarretoJune 17, 2024AI and the Future of Knowledge

For centuries, humans have been searching for knowledge and the reasons why things happen. Knowledge is a fundamental part of our daily lives; we learn something every day, even if we don’t realize it, especially in these times when everything related to knowledge is faster and more advanced. However, despite all the new technology, to me, one of the most common and effective ways of learning and sharing knowledge is from generation to generation.

Our grandparents told our parents what life was like in their times, how an event happened, the different ways to do things or solve each situation. That same knowledge is shared by our parents with us, and then we will share those same experiences in the future with our children and even grandchildren. An example of this form of transmission of knowledge could be the Europeans’ arrival in America: The story was so transformative for the world that it has been told from generation to generation, and until now, people know about this historic event. However, even though it is a huge event in our history, there is not just one version, because every writer or person who tells the story has their own version.

Another way of sharing knowledge is through our schools and universities; in other words, thanks to the teachers. But how did they learn the concepts and everything they teach us? Well, of course they learn them in schools and other educational institutions, but above all, they acquire the knowledge from the people. So it's a cycle, it's a legacy of knowledge that we all leave and share everywhere we go.

In recent years, the Internet has advanced a lot, reaching the point of making us think that we don’t need people to teach us anymore since we can find everything online. However, who are the ones who update all the information on the sites? Humans, right? I believe even though AI is a really important resource, it will never replace the knowledge and experiences that we can have as humans.

Jessica Ailen Barreto is a 12-year-old from Coronel Oviedo, Paraguay. Jessica loves writing about different themes, and also reading, studying, and making others happy.