Rishi Shiv Prasanna urges rethink on artificial intelligence and schooling

Twelve-year-old author and Mensa member Rishi Shiv Prasanna has called for a broader understanding of human talent, arguing that school systems must stop imposing uniform definitions of success and that society should treat artificial intelligence as a partner rather than a threat.

Speaking at the India Today Conclave, the young prodigy touched on everything from classroom testing and machine learning to environmental engineering and the limits of human nature.

What Rishi Shiv Prasanna said about artificial intelligence

Prasanna, who holds a reported IQ of 180 and is a member of Mensa International, brought a measured perspective to the ongoing debate over automation. While public discussion often centres on fears of mass job losses, he argued that the technology will find its most productive role as a supporting instrument in key areas such as healthcare and schooling, rather than conquering humankind.

"Be nice to AI," he told the audience. "Say, say thank you whenever AI gives you something."

Behind the lighthearted advice was a serious point about how people view digital tools. Prasanna acknowledged that automation is bound to disrupt specific job roles, but he dismissed apocalyptic predictions about machines taking control. Instead, he argued that technology should be directed toward easing workloads and helping specialists solve complex problems.

Rethinking intelligence and school systems

Turning to education, Prasanna was candid about the shortcomings of standard classroom models that measure ability through a single academic lens.

"There's not only one type of intelligence," he said, emphasising that children possess diverse creative, emotional, and practical talents that often go unnoticed under rigid grading systems. Forcing every student into identical moulds, he warned, risks dulling natural curiosity and sidelining gifted thinkers whose abilities lie outside standard testing.

Prasanna has already tested his own methods for making difficult concepts accessible. He has authored several books, including Learn Vitamins with Harry Potter, designed to explain nutritional science to younger readers through popular storytelling.

Tackling pollution and human nature

Looking ahead, Prasanna said his long-term ambitions lie in scientific research. He explained that he wants to design practical technology to address pollution, one of the most stubborn environmental problems confronting fast-growing economies.

Yet his reflections went beyond engineering. Considering the deeper barriers to societal progress, Prasanna questioned whether human flaws such as greed and ego could ever be resolved, suggesting that ethical shortcomings often present greater obstacles than technical limits.

His presentation reflected the growing confidence of India's young scientific thinkers, showcasing an analytical clarity that bodes well for the country's rising standing in global research and innovation.