What’s more important having the right questions or answers?
My guest is Jürgen Hahn – my former professor at Texas A&M. Nearly 20 years ago, he taught me how to debug complex systems. Now he’s the Director of the Jackson Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies at RPI, using data science to pioneer autism diagnosis research.
This conversation is personal. Jürgen shaped how I think about problems.
We talked about:
Can algorithms ever do critical thinking?
What’s the educator’s job when GenAI answers everything?
Why domain expertise still matters when machines can process data better than we can
But here’s what resonated most:
When I asked if AI could replicate critical thinking, Jürgen didn’t claim to know. He said, “I’m not sure I’m the right person to answer that. The speed at which AI develops is almost scary.”
That humility – leaving room for doubt – is rare.
Most people have answers. Juergen asks better questions.
In a world where everyone’s an expert, admitting what we don’t know might be the most honest thing we can do.
These conversations are shaping my next book on finding meaning in the automation age, coming 2026.
I hope you enjoy it.
Nifemi