21/05/2026
Prof. Mutlu Çukurova (University College London) joined Sabancı University faculty and students on Thursday, May 7, 2026, to deliver the Core Curriculum Keynote organized by the Foundations Development Directorate. In his talk titled "Human-AI Augmentation: Time to Distinguish Performance from Learning," Prof. Çukurova presented his data-driven research on the impact of artificial intelligence on education and reflected on the findings of his research.
Prof. Mutlu Çukurova addressed users' perceptions of the outputs they obtain through AI, the impact of AI on examinations and assessment, and research on the measurable dimensions of AI's effect on learning outcomes. Noting that the long-term use of current AI applications may have an adverse effect on users' thinking skills, Çukurova drew on research demonstrating that using these tools solely to generate answers has a detrimental effect on learning. He highlighted that many widely used tools are designed to satisfy the user, and underlined this as a risk for critical thinking skills of students. At the same time, he emphasized that human-AI collaborative models (custom GPTs, or “human in the loop” practices), when combined with pedagogical approaches aimed at developing students' decision-making, critical thinking and practical application skills, can strengthen individual competencies. Prof. Çukurova examined AI use under four main strategic approaches and offered a mental model that enables an assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of each.
The seminar also addressed the ethical dimensions of AI use, social biases, and the vital importance of developing critical thinking skills. Çukurova conveyed that students need not only to know how to use AI, but also to be equipped to critically evaluate the outputs these tools produce.
The event concluded with a panel session featuring Duygu Karaoğlan Altop (TGD), Emre Erol (TGD), Mutlu Çukurova, and Yuki Kaneko (MDBF).
At a second event held later that same day at Minerva Han, Çukurova met with participants to address the broader implications of AI for education policy and society in a format directed at a general audience. The event concluded following an extended and lively question-and-answer session. On the second day of his visit, Prof. Çukurova both provided feedback on the AI applications and experiments being conducted within the core-curriculum program at Sabancı University, and shared his experiences with the practical applications of AI at UCL. This final session, which facilitated the exchange of experience and expertise among academics, proved inspiring in terms of identifying good practices in education.
