President of the Accra Institute of Technology (AIT), Professor Clement K. Dzidonu, has emphasized the need for a significant change in how individuals, educational institutions, and society perceive learning in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI). He advocates for what he terms the Sovereign Lifelong Learner — or the “Sovereign Triple-L” — an individual who takes charge of their continuous learning and assumes personal responsibility for continually updating their capabilities throughout their professional and personal life.
According to Professor Dzidonu, the conventional model of intensive education, followed by graduation and entry into a profession, is rapidly becoming unsustainable. The advent of AI, rapidly advancing technologies, and changing professional practices are transforming both the nature of work and the capabilities required to remain professionally relevant. He notes that the world where one could rely on knowledge acquired during formal education for many years is disappearing.
Professor Dzidonu's central argument is that education and professional development must be viewed as a continuous journey rather than something that concludes with the award of a certificate or degree. A university qualification remains important as it acknowledges what an individual has achieved at a particular point in time. However, it cannot guarantee that the knowledge and capabilities acquired will remain sufficient as technologies, professions, and societal needs continue to evolve.
Graduation, Professor Dzidonu argues, should signal the beginning of a new phase where individuals take responsibility for directing their own continuing learning and capability development. The Sovereign Triple-L is not merely someone who accumulates certificates or waits for employer-provided training. Rather, this individual takes ownership of their learning, continually assessing their knowledge, capabilities, and gaps, and adapting accordingly.
Professor Dzidonu describes an individual's Skills, Expertise, Experience, Knowledge, and Know-how collectively as SEEK. A significant challenge in the AI age, he argues, is the SEEK-Gap — the growing distance between the SEEK individuals currently possess and what is increasingly required to remain capable and relevant. This situation gives rise to what he describes as an important paradox: “The More You Know, the Less You Know.”
The AIT President insists that this paradox does not imply that learning reduces knowledge. Instead, the frontier of what professionals can know and be capable of is continually expanding due to AI and new technologies. The challenge is not merely accumulating more knowledge but transforming evolving SEEK into Professional-SEEK-Capabilities — the integrated capabilities needed to perform, solve problems, and make a difference.
For Professor Dzidonu, becoming a Sovereign Triple-L involves learning with AI, questioning it, and using it responsibly while strengthening one's capacity to think, create, and exercise judgement. His message is a call to see opportunities in change, explore possibilities, and create differences through continuous learning and capability development.
Key points
- Professor Dzidonu advocates for the Sovereign Lifelong Learner or “Sovereign Triple-L” approach.
- The traditional education model is becoming unsustainable due to AI and technological advancements.
- Lifelong learning is crucial for remaining capable and relevant in the AI age.
