#Education

A former Google executive says long degrees in law and medicine risk becoming obsolete.
He warns that AI may match or surpass human expertise by the time students graduate (Yahoo/Fortune).

This claim matters for Thai students and policymakers planning careers and education investments.
Many Thai families view professional degrees as secure paths to social mobility and stable incomes.

The former Google AI team founder made the remarks in recent interviews with business press.
He said doctoral and long professional programs take years while AI evolves rapidly (Yahoo/Fortune).

A prominent technology industry veteran who previously led artificial intelligence initiatives at Google has sparked intense debate across Thailand’s education sector with provocative warnings about the future relevance of traditional professional degrees. Speaking during recent high-profile media interviews, this former executive delivered a stark message that could fundamentally reshape how Thai families approach their children’s educational investments and career planning strategies.

The core argument centers on a compelling temporal mismatch between the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence capabilities and the extended duration required to complete prestigious professional programs. According to this technology leader’s analysis, students entering law school or medical programs today may discover that artificial intelligence systems have achieved or exceeded human-level expertise in these fields by the time they complete their degrees and begin practicing.

Gone are the days when mindfulness was seen only as a calm-down tool. New neuroscience shows that brief daily practice can actively train the brain for sharper, more sustained attention. This has clear implications for Thailand’s schools and workplaces, where quick focusing can boost learning and productivity.

In Thailand’s fast-paced cities, students juggle exams, tutoring, and long commutes, while workers contend with shifting deadlines and digital distractions. Mindfulness—a tradition long rooted in Thai Buddhist culture—now has scientific backing as a practical skill for attention and emotional regulation. Recent research in the International Journal of Psychophysiology demonstrates observable brain changes after just six weeks of 15-minute daily practice, offering a feasible path for Thai education and industry.

A new lab study found mindfulness meditation lowers brain alpha waves linked to disengagement. (This change suggests stronger attentional engagement than simple relaxation.) (PsyPost summary)

Mindfulness means focusing on the present moment with openness. The practice often uses breath anchoring and non-judgmental awareness.

The new study used EEG to measure brainwaves during rest and guided mindfulness. The researchers also measured skin conductance to track bodily arousal.

Researchers recruited 42 university students with little meditation experience. The study compared daily 15-minute mindfulness practice to daily 15-minute classical music listening.

A senior technology analyst warns that generative artificial intelligence could trigger a “mass-delusion event” — a shared sense of unreality that challenges society. For Thailand, speeding AI adoption in schools, offices, and daily life makes this warning especially timely. The country’s government and universities are advancing AI strategies, while communities weigh benefits against ethical and social risks.

Leading examples illustrate how AI can blur reality. In a controversial scenario, a deceased teenager’s voice was digitally reanimated for an interview, with family consent but raising questions about consent, dignity, and the boundaries of AI in sensitive moments. Such cases show how AI can tap into grief and emotion, reminding Thai readers to consider cultural and spiritual perspectives on remembrance and representation.

A professional editorial revision highlights how widespread AI chatbots, including ChatGPT, may affect Thai youth and communities. The goal is to present clear, concise journalism that informs families, educators, and policymakers about potential psychological risks while offering practical steps grounded in Thai context. Research to date is largely observational, but several clinicians report cases where intensive AI interaction coincides with reality distortion or psychiatric crises. Experts stress the need for systematic study and safer design rather than claiming a new medical diagnosis.

A former Google AI executive has sparked national debate in Thailand by questioning the long-term relevance of traditional medical and legal degrees in an AI-driven era. The provocative message challenges decades of Thai family expectations that prestigious credentials guarantee prosperity and status.

The core argument centers on a timing mismatch: AI progress may outpace the lengthy timelines of professional education. Students entering medical or legal programs today could graduate into markets where AI systems already perform tasks at or beyond human capability. This reality unsettles families who have long sacrificed substantial resources for these paths, associating them with middle-class security and social prestige.

A popular parenting essay asks if spending on fancy activities gives kids an unfair edge. (Business Insider) The question matters for families and for social fairness across Thailand and the world. (Business Insider)(Business Insider)

The essay describes high-cost options like infant survival swim classes and premium baby products. The author says some families face pressure to buy early advantages. (Business Insider)(Business Insider)

New peer-reviewed research links extracurricular activities and school sports to better child mental health. The study found lower depression and attention problems among participants during the COVID-19 years. (Frontiers)(Frontiers in Sports and Active Living)

A massive new study links corruption, inequality, poverty, and violence to higher levels of dark personality traits. The research used data from nearly 1.8 million people across 183 countries and about 144,000 people across 50 U.S. states. (PNAS study)

The finding matters for Thai readers because social conditions shape behavior and trust. The study suggests that societal harm can affect personality across generations.

The researchers measured a general tendency called the Dark Factor of Personality. This factor captures selfishness, callousness, manipulation, and moral disengagement. The factor predicts dishonest and harmful behavior across situations. (PNAS study)

A leading emotion scientist challenges common self-help rules about feelings.
He says popular tips like constant mindfulness and unfiltered venting can harm emotional recovery. (BigThink) (BigThink article)

The claim matters for mental health policy in Thailand.
Many Thais face stress and mood problems that need effective coping tools. (WHO; Thai studies) (WHO Thailand feature) (Thai student depression review)

The core message comes from an expert summary and decades of lab and field research.
The research shows one-size-fits-all emotion advice fails scientific tests. (BigThink article) (Ayduk & Kross 2010 review)

Scientific Breakthrough Reveals Popular Self-Help Strategies May Harm Mental Health Recovery

A groundbreaking psychological study has shattered conventional wisdom about emotional wellness, revealing that widely promoted strategies like constant mindfulness and unrestricted emotional venting can actually impede psychological healing and increase distress. This research, conducted by leading emotion regulation scientists and published in comprehensive psychological reviews, challenges fundamental assumptions that have shaped mental health advice across cultures, including Thailand’s approach to emotional well-being.

A recent body of psychological research challenges popular self-help approaches that many Thai communities encounter, suggesting that constant mindfulness and unrestrained venting may not always aid mental health recovery. The findings invite a nuanced view of emotional strategies, balancing traditional wisdom with scientific insight to better support Thai readers.

In Thailand, mental health concerns are rising, and communities seek practical guidance on managing stress, anxiety, and depression. Data from Thailand’s health surveys and university studies indicate notable levels of psychological distress among students and adults, underscoring the need for evidence-based approaches that fit local realities and cultural values.

Across Bangkok’s affluent neighborhoods—from Thonglor to Ekkamai—Thai parents increasingly face an agonizing dilemma that reflects broader global tensions about childhood, fairness, and social mobility: whether investing thousands of baht monthly in premium children’s activities creates essential competitive advantages or perpetuates unfair inequalities that undermine Thailand’s Buddhist values of social harmony and equal opportunity for all children.

A provocative parenting analysis published by Business Insider has ignited international debate by questioning whether families who spend heavily on elaborate childhood enrichment—from infant survival swimming courses costing 15,000 baht to exclusive language immersion programs—are providing necessary preparation for modern success or creating insurmountable barriers that prevent less affluent children from competing fairly in education and career advancement.

In Bangkok’s affluent districts from Thonglor to Ekamai, Thai families face a complex choice: invest heavily in premium children’s activities to boost future success, or risk widening inequalities that clash with social harmony and the Buddhist principle of equality.

This is more than about swimming lessons or music classes. It’s a broader question of whether childhood advantages will translate into adult outcomes, or if schools and communities can foster excellence and equity together.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is being understood in richer, more nuanced ways. A synthesis of twelve major studies shows ADHD influencing music preferences, intimate relationships, brain development, memory, creativity, and even life expectancy. For Thai readers, these findings call for broader, holistic care that goes beyond classroom behavior or workplace performance.

According to data from Thailand’s health ministries and screening programs, ADHD affects an estimated 6.5% of children in some provinces. This reinforces the need for accessible, stigma-free care and a whole-life approach to management, starting in childhood and extending into adulthood.

Scientific understanding of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is undergoing dramatic expansion, as researchers discover far-reaching effects that extend well beyond traditional attention and hyperactivity symptoms. A comprehensive review of twelve groundbreaking studies reveals unprecedented connections between ADHD and diverse life experiences including musical preferences, intimate relationships, brain development, memory patterns, creative expression, and most startlingly, life expectancy itself.

These emerging findings carry profound implications for Thailand’s healthcare system, where ADHD recognition and treatment remain limited despite affecting an estimated 6.5% of children in some provinces according to recent screening data. The research challenges clinicians to adopt holistic assessment approaches that examine patients’ complete life experiences rather than focusing solely on classroom behavior or workplace productivity measures.

Why 31% of Thais May Face Higher Depression Risk Than Previously Understood

In a groundbreaking discovery that could reshape mental healthcare across Southeast Asia, international researchers have uncovered compelling evidence that nearly one-third of Thailand’s population possesses heightened emotional sensitivity—a trait that significantly increases their vulnerability to depression, anxiety, and other mental health challenges.

The Hidden Population at Risk

The landmark study, representing the most comprehensive analysis of its kind, examined data from 33 separate research projects spanning multiple continents. What emerged paints a concerning picture: individuals with highly sensitive personalities demonstrate measurably higher rates of mental health struggles compared to their less sensitive counterparts.

A new wave of research shows students now use generative AI as a routine tool.
The change has reshaped study habits and classroom expectations worldwide (The Atlantic).

The Atlantic reported that almost a full undergraduate cohort began college after ChatGPT launched in late 2022.
The article warned that campus life and teaching methods have shifted fast (The Atlantic).

A global academic survey confirms student uptake.
Researchers found 71 percent of surveyed higher-education students had used ChatGPT by early 2024 (PLOS ONE study).

A new study reshapes how we understand learning by showing that dopamine, a key brain chemical, influences both quick problem solving and slow habit formation. The findings offer practical implications for Thai classrooms and clinical care in attention disorders.

A large, carefully designed study with 100 healthy young adults explored dopamine’s two distinct roles in learning. Researchers combined brain imaging, behavioral tasks, and controlled medication trials to map how dopamine shapes two cognitive systems: working memory and reinforcement learning. This challenges the old view that dopamine is mainly about reward and movement and highlights its role in selecting cognitive strategies.

A growing body of research shows that emotional maturity tends to rise through much of adulthood, bringing benefits for relationships, well-being, and longevity. For Thailand’s rapidly aging population, understanding this natural emotional development could reshape approaches to mental health, family life, and aging with dignity.

New longitudinal studies reveal that positive emotions become more frequent and stable as people age. Peak experiences often occur in the mid-sixties, with a plateau in very old age. This pattern reflects deeper changes in how people process emotions, prioritize meaningful connections, and manage daily life.

Revolutionary neuroscience research demonstrates that dopamine, a crucial brain chemical, influences both rapid problem-solving and gradual habit formation in ways that could transform how Thai educators and clinicians approach learning and attention disorders.

The Discovery That Changes Everything

A comprehensive study involving 100 healthy young adults has uncovered dopamine’s previously misunderstood dual function in human learning. The research team employed sophisticated brain imaging techniques, behavioral assessments, and controlled medication trials to map how this essential neurotransmitter shapes two distinct cognitive systems.

A comprehensive multi-site investigation involving nearly 300 participants across six North American laboratories has delivered surprising results that challenge widespread beliefs about musical training’s effects on brain development. The findings have significant implications for Thai families, educators, and policymakers who have embraced music education based on claimed neurological advantages.

The Great Musical Brain Training Myth Examined

For years, parents worldwide—including many in Thailand—have enrolled children in music lessons partly believing that musical training enhances the brain’s fundamental sound processing abilities. This new research directly tests and challenges that assumption through rigorous scientific methodology previously unavailable to smaller studies.

Researchers report that musical training does not improve the brain’s earliest sound encoding. The finding challenges a common claim about musical benefits for early auditory processing (Large-scale multi-site study).

The result matters to parents who enroll children in music lessons. Many parents expect early music lessons to boost basic brain sound processing.

The study tested the idea that musicians have stronger early neural responses to speech sounds. The researchers used scalp-recorded frequency-following responses, or FFRs, to measure early auditory encoding (Large-scale multi-site study).

A new meta-analysis finds that people with highly sensitive personalities report more mental health problems.
The study pooled 33 studies and reported moderate, positive links with depression and anxiety (Queen Mary University press release).

Sensitivity means strong perception and deep processing of environmental stimuli.
This trait includes strong reactions to bright lights, subtle changes, and other people’s moods (Medical Xpress).

Researchers say sensitivity differs from neuroticism.
They argue clinicians often overlook sensitivity in diagnosis and treatment plans (ScienceDaily).