The AI Revolution

Controversial words to bring out the ... Trump Derangement Syndrome…

The AI Revolution

Last year I wrote a blog highlighting the negative impact of AI on the environment. Then I attended a conference and listened to a presentation on the potential benefits of AI and how many of us use it without even knowing we do (grammar and spellcheck built into Word or use of programs such as Grammarly and ProWriting Aide). Even research, with the popular Google or other search engines rely heavily on AI. Now it’s popping up in our Facebook spaces. Sigh. This is a train traveling down the tracks with no possibility of slowing down. Two final nails in the coffin happened as I watched with horror when Jae listed all the AI books published using legitimate books that our beloved sapphic authors put their blood, sweat and tears into. Then I read an article about the wide-spread use in college and was absolutely horrified by what I learned.

Being a former professor (a secondary job) who taught Human Resource courses at the local university, I wasn’t sure how I felt about what I learned in the article. I’d had a very unique view of how I taught the classes, allowing students to use every available resource when taking my tests, including working in groups, scouring the internet, and jokingly I said they could even call a friend. My perspective included a real life view of the world. When professionals come across a particularly difficult problem in HR, we often call upon our colleagues, do significant internet research, etc, so why shouldn’t the students be able to call upon whatever resources were available to solve those issues in my essay exams? Apparently, the current professors are faced with the same dilemma. Here are a few astounding things I learned from the article:

In 2023, a survey of 1,000 college students found that nearly 90 percent of them had used the chatbot to help with homework assignments.“College is just how well I can use ChatGPT at this point,” a student in Utah posted.At this point about half of all undergrads have never experienced college without easy access to generative AI. This means that an entire generation of students won’t experience college without easy access to AI.More and more professors have given up and state their position that use of AI is acceptable on their syllabus as long as the student cites the use like they would any other source. Honestly, I wonder if this position is much different from the one I took when teaching? No doubt in the working world, we are going to see memos and correspondence from professionals generated through the use of AI. The train has left the tracks and there is no stopping it now.A study published in June 2024 found that the professors failed to flag 97 percent of the AI generated essays. AI is getting so good it’s hard to separate AI from original work.I thought this was truly eye-opening and something for all of us to really consider. One professor noted that, “If you’re handing in AI work, you’re not actually anything different than a human assistant to an artificial-intelligence engine, and that makes you very easily replaceable. Why would anyone keep you around?” Of course this is not a future question, because it is already happening. Tech research firms are asking why programmers are needed. I’m quite sure that isn’t the only business posing this question.Ironically, even professors are replaceable by AI…many AI platforms now offer tools to leave AI-generated feedback on students’ essays. AI is evaluating AI!Microsoft and Carnegie Mellon University published a study that found a person’s confidence in generative AI correlates with reduced critical-thinking. We are raising a generation of young adults who will lack critical thinking skills and that should scare the crap out of all of us.

Obviously, I haven’t even touched upon the impact to those of us in the creative arts. I honestly wonder if the speeding train will replace writers, artists, etc? Is that the inevitable future? Unfortunately, if nothing else has been proven over the last twenty years, it’s that people want cheap regardless of the impact. AI works are cheap, often free, and for many individuals, the consequences to writers and artists doesn’t matter. I suppose until AI completely takes over, I’ll continue to write and hope that my original work is worth something to enough people that it makes sense to pursue my passion. If it matters to you and you’d like to check my books out, feel free to click the links below!

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