Why Learn Something That a Machine Can Do for You?

August 17, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Learning Is How You Build the Mind You Live In

Cognitive psychologist Michelle Miller, who studies learning and technology at Northern Arizona University, has a deceptively simple answer to the question of why anyone should bother learning something a machine can do for them. "Our mind is our experience," she says, "and learning builds the mind that we live in." That claim—that learning is not just about acquiring useful skills but about constructing the very self that experiences the world—frames her entire argument about what is at stake when we outsource thinking to AI.

Starting With Purpose, Not With Tools

Miller resists the binary framing of whether technology is "good" or "bad" for learning. Instead, she insists on asking when and how a given tool helps or hurts. The rule of thumb for any instructional designer, she says, is to start with the end in mind: What problem are you trying to solve? Where do students actually struggle?

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What you'll learn

1 (01:02) **Introducing Michelle Miller and the Core Question** - Cognitive psychologist Michelle Miller joins to discuss the purpose of learning in an age of AI, where machines can do many tasks for us.
2 (03:54) **What Michelle Is Learning Now: Low-Tech Archery and Knitting** - Miller shares her personal learning projects, revealing that even ancient technologies like bows and knitting needles are complemented by modern tech.
3 (05:50) **The Ultimate Purpose of Learning: Agency and Connection** - Miller defines learning as the primary way we exercise control over our lives and connect to the broader web of humanity.
4 (08:28) **When Technology Helps vs. Hinders Learning** - Miller introduces a framework: start with the end in mind, asking what problem you're trying to solve before choosing a tool.
5 (12:38) **The Value of Learning Things You Can Outsource** - The hosts press Miller on why someone should learn a skill like coding or a foreign language when AI can do it perfectly.
6 (15:10) **AI vs. the Calculator: Key Differences** - Miller explains why the common comparison between AI and calculators is misleading, highlighting AI's ability to mimic human communication and its implications for education.
7 (17:55) **Outsourcing Tasks vs. Outsourcing Thought** - The hosts propose that outsourcing a task (like calculating a tip) is neutral, but outsourcing your own thought process is a betrayal of your humanity.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

Children still learn long division even though calculators exist, and many people continue to study languages even as AI translation becomes faster and more accurate. Is there a deeper purpose for learning that technology will never touch?

In this episode of How to Touch Grass, hosts Natalie Brennan and Julie Beck hear from Michelle Miller, a cognitive psychologist at Northern Arizona University who studies technology and learning. She explains that although the changing tides of tech may shape what and how we learn, as humans we still have the autonomy to build the minds we want.

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