A new education-focused discussion challenges the premise that higher education can simply “AI-proof” students’ learning. The reporting argues that while colleges increasingly claim to build critical thinking, they lack consistent systems for teaching and assessing the skills needed to resist shortcut behaviors and to evaluate information responsibly. The piece ties the accountability gap to a broader test design and pedagogy issue: if instruction and assessment do not intentionally develop reasoning habits, students can adapt to AI tools without improving underlying competence. Higher-ed relevance: this debate is likely to influence how institutions rewrite academic integrity policies, redesign assessments, and invest in faculty training for AI-era curriculum changes—especially in general education and gateway courses.