Is College Becoming Obsolete? | Erika Donalds Explains

AI represents the single greatest disruption to higher education cartels in generations. That's why so many institutions are teaching students that it's evil.Erika Donalds, founder of the Education Freedom Foundation and Chair of the Center for Education Opportunity at America First Policy Institute, joins Jim Iuorio and Bobby Iaccino to break down how AI is upending the university system, where the Trump administration actually stands on dismantling the federal Department of Education, and why civics and literacy have collapsed in K-12 schools.Donalds argues that AI is going to lessen the need for higher education in its current form, run by what she calls "the education cartels," including the university systems, accreditation bodies, and unions that have kept innovation out and ballooned costs for decadesTimestamp 01:20 – Erika's Italian heritage and family background02:19 – Erika's recent Washington Examiner article03:13 – What should university presidents do about AI?04:24 – Is elite schools' AI rigidity just hubris?05:34 – Separating AI cheating from AI learning06:34 – How assignments can show the AI process, not just the answer08:24 – The "education cartels" quote: AI's disruption of higher ed09:45 – AI will reduce the need for higher ed in its current form11:42 – Elite universities in the crosshairs: is networking still worth it?13:59 – Civics education collapse and the viral "Botswana" story15:30 – How civics got pushed aside for reading and math testing17:13 – The World Cup and America 250: a national pride boost18:48 – Gramsci and academia as an ideological battleground19:49 – Progress dismantling the Department of Education20:26 – McMahon's interagency agreements: student loans to Treasury22:48 – Congress files 10 bills to finish the job24:08 – Keri Ingraham's 10% funding stat, confirmed24:21 – The bureaucracy tax: 37-40 cents lost per dollar26:39 – Minimum wage laws are killing teen employment30:42 – Vocabulary and literacy collapse: "halted in sixth grade"31:33 – Only a third of college freshmen have read a full book33:52 – Student loan reforms in the "big beautiful bill"35:34 – Will there be AI-focused trade schools?37:32 – Interpersonal skills are becoming more valuable than ever39:41 – Is college more about indoctrination than skill-building?44:03 – Florida's personalized success plans: four pathways from 6th grade49:41 – Where to find Erika Donalds and the Education Freedom📧 Newsletter https://the-unfiltered-investor.beehiiv.com/➡️ Follow Erika Donaldshttps://www.instagram.com/erikadonalds/?hl=enhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/edonalds🔗 Stay Connected With Us  https://x.com/bob_iaccino https://x.com/jimiuorio  https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-iaccino/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-iuorio/ 🔔𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞 📩 For business inquiries: [email protected]