AI and Human Learning : Two Paths, One Destination
A fascinating study from Brown University (PNAS, Sep 2025) has shown striking similarities between the way humans learn and how artificial intelligence systems evolve.
Researchers found that humans use two complementary learning modes:
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In-context learning: Quick, flexible, rule-like understanding (e.g. picking up a new board game after playing many others).
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Incremental learning: Slow, repetitive practice that etches knowledge deeply into memory (e.g. learning piano over months).
AI, when trained with meta-learning, also shifts between these modes. Initially, it requires thousands of repetitions (incremental), but later it generalizes quickly (in-context), just like humans.
This interplay mirrors the balance between working memory and long-term memory in our brains. Interestingly, both humans and AI also share trade-offs: flexibility often comes at the expense of retention, while error-driven struggle deepens memory.
Where I Saw This Coming (2003)
Back in 2003 , in my blog Self-Learning Software, I described how a child learns
colors through repeated associations — first hearing “RED” a thousand times,
then recognizing and classifying without prompt.
I extended the analogy to resume classification:
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A “guru” (human expert) labels resumes by skill (C++, VB, ASP).
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After 1,000 labeled examples, the software learns to classify the 1,001st
resume on its own.
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Over time, the system needs fewer examples — moving from incremental to
intuitive recognition.
The parallels with today’s AI research are uncanny.
Why This Matters
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For AI design: Building systems that combine both modes could make assistants more intuitive and trustworthy, especially in domains like healthcare or education.
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For human learning: Understanding these parallels helps educators balance rote repetition with pattern generalization.
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For society: Recognizing that human and AI cognition are converging should push us to design collaboration frameworks, not competitions.
Closing Thought:
The child learning to say “RED,” the software classifying a resume, and the AI identifying a “green giraffe” all point to the same truth: learning is association plus repetition, upgraded with intuition.
In the end, whether human or AI, the path may differ, but the destination is shared — knowledge.
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with regards,
hemen parekh
www.HemenParekh.ai / www.IndiaAGI.ai / www.My-Teacher.in / 05 Sept 2025
