[CONFERENCE] Universities must teach people to work 'with AI, not for AI,' KCL president says

King’s College London's Vice-Chancellor and President, Shitij Kapur, emphasized during the 2026 Korea Times Global Conference that universities must teach individuals to collaborate with artificial intelligence (AI) rather than be controlled by it. Kapur delivered his keynote address online from London, stressing that universities must fundamentally reconsider their role in education, employment preparation, and their public purpose in the era of AI.

Addressing the audience via his online speech, Kapur highlighted that the primary challenge for universities is to shape how AI influences education, work, research, and society at large, rather than merely adapting to the technology's commercial goals. He asserted that the mantra for universities, and arguably for humanity, should be to work with AI, not for it.

Kapur argued that AI will not lead to a single, uniform future, as countries will harness and apply AI based on their unique needs and aspirations. However, he maintained that universities globally share five key responsibilities: redefining the core of learning, equipping graduates for a transforming job market, and determining their societal role.