<![CDATA[The advancement of digital technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) has brought about significant changes in the learning process within higher education. While technology facilitates easy access to information, it also carries the potential to foster "shallow thinking" due to an over-reliance on technological tools. This study aims to analyze the relevance and implementation of essentialist values in technology-based higher education as a means of preserving students' intellectual quality. It specifically focuses on the role of essentialist values as a critical filter against the tendency toward shallow thinking arising from the use of AI in academic settings. The study employs a qualitative library research methodology. Data were gathered through a review of books, indexed scholarly articles, and relevant documents addressing essentialist educational philosophy, educational technology, and the use of AI in learning. The findings indicate that essentialist values—such as mastery of core subject matter, intellectual discipline, and the role of the lecturer as an academic mentor—remain relevant for application in technology-based learning. These values can serve as a critical filter, ensuring that technology acts as a support tool for learning rather than a substitute for the students' own thinking processes. Therefore, the integration of technology must be balanced with the reinforcement of essentialist values to cultivate students who are critical, reflective, and academically responsible.]]>
