Hello dear readers,
Today, I want to share my thoughts on a topic that has fascinated me for years — Artificial Intelligence or AI, as it’s more commonly known. Now, I may not be as tech-savvy as the young folks these days, but I believe age should never stop us from embracing the wonders of the modern world. So, let’s embark on this journey together and explore the world of AI through the eyes of an old woman.
Did I fool you? I didn’t write that opening paragraph at all. It’s the beginning of an article generated by AI on ChatGPT. For those who don’t know, ChatGPT is an AI chatbot created by OpenAI. You can download it as an app or find it on Google to use on your computer. Simply put in a prompt and it rattles out a response faster than you can say “plagiarism.”
I imagine you might get better responses if you pay for this service, but since I was only using it as an experiment, I used the free version. The prompt I gave was “magazine column written by an old woman about AI.” Within seconds the title ‘Embracing AI: A Grandmother’s Reflection on a Brave New World’ popped up on my screen.
I wondered if there might be something in this. It could cut the time it takes me to a write my column down to two minutes a week, less if I didn’t bother to read it. All joking aside, could I be replaced by a computer?
I must admit when I read the entire article it had me in stitches, which is good since I’m a humorist, bad if I actually want to provide an article with any truth in it.
Fiction: “When I was a young girl, the idea of AI seemed like something out of a science fiction novel. The thought of machines with human-like intelligence was both awe-inspiring and a bit scary.”
Fact: When I was a young girl I’d never heard of AI. I didn’t find the robot in “Lost in Space” remotely awe-inspiring but did have a secret crush on HAL in “2001: A Space Odyssey.”
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Playing with ChatGPT may be a fun way to waste some time but as a former teacher, I can’t help but think how easy it is to abuse it. It was simple to spot plagiarism if my students’ writing suddenly improved mid-paragraph, but I suspect it will not be so easy for teachers these days. As I did not say in the first paragraph,” I may not be as tech-savvy as the young folks these days,” but you can only imagine how this will work in the capable hands of a junior high student.
Earlier this month, as children were preparing to go back to school, Naperville District 203’s leadership team attended an education innovation summit. The keynote speaker was Adam Garry, Dell Technologies’ senior director of education strategy, who talked in part about using AI for problem solving. The idea being if students are going to use AI as a tool, they should be directed to use it for good rather than an easy A.
One acquaintance recently shared with me that her son did use AI for an essay, but he took the main points and explained them in his own words. Look how heavily we rely on Google for research today. Is this just another step forward?
Another reminded me that in the early days of calculators, students were banned from using them in exams because the only calculator that could be trusted was the one in your head. Should we simply look at AI as another version of Cliffs Notes?
A third person I asked didn’t comment at all because she was scrolling through her phone before sharing photos of the adorable AI grandchildren she hopes to have one day.
As my AI article says, “I cannot help wonder but wonder about the changes it has brought to our daily lives.” However, I do not “cherish the days when my grandchildren would sit with me by the fireplace, listening to my stories.” For one thingm when you live 5,000 miles away you have to tell stories on video chat.
I’m certainly no troglodyte, but I believe AI is far from perfect. And I think schools have a huge task ahead of them, although I imagine any savvy teacher would be able to tell the difference between an original essay and a robotic one. The problem is as AI improves, how many children will put as much effort into plagiarism as they could have put into writing their essay in the first place?
Just like my AI article tells me: “As AI gains more prominence, I worry about job security for the younger generation. Will this technological marvel render many professions obsolete, leaving people without meaningful work and a sense of purpose?”
I’d be interested to hear your thoughts, if only to see if I can spot real readers from artificial ones.
Since I’ve failed to reach a definite conclusion, I’ll let ChatGPT have the last word, although I can’t help but think it may be just a little biased.
“So, as I sit here sipping my tea and writing this column, I want to tell you that life is a journey filled with surprises. Embracing AI is just one part of this grand adventure. Let’s not fear change but rather approach it with an open heart and a cautious mind. Let’s remember that behind every line of code, there are human minds working to shape a better world.
“With love and optimism,
“(Your Grandma’s Name)”
Hilary Decent is a freelance journalist who moved to Naperville from England in 2007.