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Xpanding Horizons

Critical Thinking in the Age of AI: Tom Chatfield

31 January 2026 52:02 Neil Joseph

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About this episode

Is AI Controlling Us? Reclaiming Your Agency with Tom Chatfield

Are we in the driver’s seat of the AI revolution, or are we just along for the ride?

In this episode of Xpanding Horizons, we sit down with philosopher and author Tom Chatfield to discuss the "ongoing negotiation" between humanity and our tools. From the co-evolution of our species with technology to the "AI slop" filling our social feeds, Tom argues that critical thinking isn't just a luxury—it’s our most vital survival skill in the digital age.

We explore why "thinking twice" is the ultimate competitive advantage, how AI is breaking (and rebuilding) education, and why the most important skills of the future are the ones that are most deeply human: empathy, creativity, and physical presence.

✨ Key Topics Covered:

  • Technological Determinism vs. Agency: Why technology isn't inevitable and how we can shape it.
  • Cognitive Sovereignty: How to stay informed without being manipulated by algorithms.
  • The Future of Education: Moving beyond "essay-writing" to true human understanding.
  • AI Ethics in the Real World: Why we need to focus on current harms over sci-fi scenarios.
  • Philosophical Insights: What Plato and Luciano Floridi can teach us about the 21st century.

00:00 Introduction: Who is in control of technology?
03:43 The Co-Evolution of Humans and Technology
06:15 Agency: Do we still have a choice in the age of AI?
09:17 Why Critical Thinking is a "Bodily" Practice
11:42 Navigating AI Advice vs. Human Experts
14:33 How AI is Breaking (and Saving) Education
17:54 The Rise of the "Socratic" AI Tutor
27:49 Can we still trust students in the age of ChatGPT?
30:08 5 Essential Skills for the AI Future
33:51 Digital Culture and the "Universal Interface"
37:31 What AI Ethics actually looks like in practice
42:33 Regulation: Should we ban certain AI uses?
45:42 Why Plato is more relevant today than ever
49:18 Pessimism vs. Optimism: Predicting the Future

  • Tom Chatfield’s Book: The Wise Animals: How Technology Has Made Us Who We Are
  • Philosophers to Follow: Luciano Floridi (The Fourth Revolution), Plato (The Phaedrus)
  • Concepts: Cognitive Sovereignty, The Poly-crisis, Oracy in Education.

Tom Chatfield is an author and philosopher of technology who has written over a dozen books exploring critical thinking, cognition, and society in the digital age. He works with universities and organizations globally to help people get the most out of "minds and machines."

Learn more about Tom at -

https://tomchatfield.net


Transcripts at https://xpandinhorizon.substack.com/

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Enjoyed the episode? Leave a comment below: Do you feel more optimistic or pessimistic about the future of AI after hearing Tom’s perspective? 👇

#AI #CriticalThinking #TomChatfield #Philosophy #Education #AIEthics #Technology #FutureOfWork #XpandingHorizons

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