At Bermuda’s inaugural Financial Literacy Summit, keynote speaker 19 Keys challenged the audience to rethink what learning should look like in an era defined by artificial intelligence and rapid technological change.

“Do I think traditional education will be valuable in the future? No, right? And that's mostly because traditional education is behind the times,” he told the crowd at The Shed in Dockyard.

When asked a question by one of the students in attendance, the entrepreneur argued that the real worth of higher education was not in outdated curriculums but in the networks students build. “What is valuable about college is the campus itself … being surrounded by individuals that are highly aligned with the same values and goals that you have,” he said.

Looking ahead, he imagined a new kind of educational environment where people can “study whatever independent skill that they want to attain … so that they can make money in the future”.

Technology was central to his message. 19 Keys urged young people to embrace, not fear, innovation: “Make AI work for you rather than against you.”

He reminded them that “technology moves a lot faster than the laws do”, stressing the need for agility from both educators and students.

He also pointed to financial literacy as one of the critical skills missing from the traditional system. “Youth are yearning and looking for different outlets to learn,” he said, noting that modern education must adapt to equip young people with practical tools for financial and personal growth.

The remarks set the tone for the one-day summit, which organisers described as a “festive, fun event for financial literacy education” rather than a conventional conference.