The Drive to Discover
Engage your sense of curiosity and ask great questions
Why this matters: Machines can process data but lack the judgment, ethics and lived experience required for true understanding. Develop your distinctly human capabilities so you can thrive in a digital world, whether you are working with AI technologies or thinking independently of those tools.
Mini-tool: The Idea Compass
Curiosity is a powerful human capacity. Use it to your advantage as you work with AI. The four points of this compass can help you understand the knowledge landscape and explore in every direction.
NORTH: First principles and core ideas
“What is the most fundamental concept at the heart of this?”
SOUTH: Practical applications and examples
“Show me a real-world case of this concept in action.”
EAST: Related concepts and connections to similar ideas
“How does this topic relate to a similar topic?”
WEST: History and origin
“Where did this idea originate and how did it evolve?”
Try It
When using AI, provide high-quality context in your prompts and require the tools to explain reasoning steps. Then treat AI responses as a starting point, not the final word. Apply the Idea Compass to find the gaps. If the AI provided a practical example (South), explicitly prompt it to explain the history (West) or the core theory (North). Don’t just consume the output; interrogate it to build a complete picture.
Consciously guide your curiosity into all four compass directions, ensuring you build a rich and well-rounded mental map of every important topic you explore.
Ask about all dimensions of issues: What if? What am I missing? Who does this affect? Why does this matter? How does this work?
Curiosity is an essential human capacity, so actively engage it when you work with AIs. Don’t be passive and allow your wonder to wither as you work with AI.
Adapted from the Student Guide to Artificial Intelligence (2026), developed by Elon University’s Imagining the Digital Future Center in partnership with American Association of Colleges and Universities. Used with permission under the Creative Commons BY-NC-SA license.
Have a Question?
Take a look at frequently asked questions about AI at NIU and available resources.
René Descartes
1596 – 1650
French scholar, mathematician and scientist known as the father of modern philosophy
"I regard wonder as the first of all the passions."