Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang appeared unfazed by research suggesting that AI is causing children to forget basic math skills. In a New York Times interview, Huang argued that basic math may not matter, admitting he doesn't even remember his own address or phone number.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has shown he is unfazed by research suggesting that AI tools are causing children to forget basic math skills. In a new interview with The New York Times, Huang said he is not concerned, even though a China-based study found that AI speeds up homework but causes students' exam performance to decline rapidly.
During the interview, Huang was presented with the Chinese research showing that AI tools allow children to complete their homework faster, but the skills that should be acquired in the process are not retained and test scores deteriorate quickly. Huang acknowledged that this kind of knowledge loss may occur in many children, but said he does not see it as a problem.
"Try getting a kid to do long division right now," Huang said. "The multiplication table is starting to be forgotten. Taking square roots—oh my God. Basic math is being forgotten. Does it matter? I don't think so. I don't think so."
When the interviewer pointed out that some skills must matter, Huang agreed, but questioned whether basic math is one of them, suggesting that "we'll discover new skills." He then admitted that, because of his own use of AI and technology, he does not know his home address or phone number.
"There are a lot of skills that don't matter," Huang said, adding: "My first confession: I actually don't know my address. That's absolutely true... My wife Lori will tell you. One day I needed to get gas—it was a few years ago. They asked for my zip code and I panicked. I didn't know my zip code. I don't know my phone number. I forget these things. I can live with that."
Huang also suggested that AI may cause people to lose some "fine intellectual dexterity," but that there is no need to worry, as everyone will become better "systems thinkers."
