For generations, the algorithm of studying has been the same: highlight, underline, summarise, review, repeat. In this essay, Dr Mahdi Mansour describes how, facing France's new civic exam, he did something different: instead of studying for the exam, he designed it — building his own AI-powered tutor and simulator to generate questions, test himself and close his gaps.
The essay uses this personal experiment to reflect on what changes when learners stop consuming a syllabus and start designing their own learning: the role of purpose and context in adult learning, what AI can and cannot do as a tutor, and what this means for schools and assessment systems built for standardisation.
Read the full essay on Medium: I Didn't Study for This Exam. I Designed It (July 2026).
