Education Op/Ed

Guest editorial: How AI is reshaping education and society

HECTOR VILA

Editor’s note: Today we introduce a new series by Hector Vila, an associate professor at Middlebury College with the Writing and Rhetoric Program, on how artificial intelligence is changing our society in ways, Vila says, we’re only just beginning to understand. It’s an important topic even if you think you don’t use AI, or never think you will. The fact is you most likely already are. The answers to many search functions now are generated by AI, but there’s far more.

AI is used in everyday life through features like facial recognition on smartphones, voice assistants like Siri and Alexa, personalized recommendations on streaming services, smart home devices that learn your preferences, online banking fraud detection, and even the autocorrect function on your phone, all utilizing AI algorithms to improve user experience and automate tasks based on learned patterns. At least that’s the AI-generated answer I got when I typed in my search.

And there’s much more: AI analyzes your interactions to suggest friends, tailor your newsfeed, and recognize faces in photos; when shopping online, product recommendations on websites are based on your browsing history and past purchases, powered by AI algorithms; in your vehicle, navigational maps and similar apps use AI to predict traffic patterns and suggest the best route; in the house, thermostats that learn your temperature preferences, and smart lighting systems that adjust based on your activity are all powered with AI; AI can also detect and filter out spam emails automatically. And we’ve just begun the journey.

The point here is that AI is not something to be feared, but to understand. Still, it’s a complex issue and in this series, Hector hopes to help us understand the pertinent nuances.

We’re halfway into the fall, 2024, academic term, and chatter suggests anxiety about the future of education and artificial intelligence (AI).  That AI will replace human teachers entirely. Students using AI tools are always cheating. Learning to use AI isn’t an important skill for students. AI can’t foster creativity or critical thinking.

In his 1954 essay, The Question Concerning Technology, Martin Heidegger argues that the conventional view of technology as a neutral tool misses its true nature. In other words, our technological fears come about because we think technology does not involve us, nor does it come from us, who we are and what we want culturally speaking. Heidegger posits that modern technology is a mode of “revealing” that challenges nature, seeing it as a resource to be exploited, which he terms “enframing.”

This enframing conceals other ways of revealing truth and endangers human freedom by reducing everything, including humans, to “standing reserve” — resources waiting to be used. Heidegger warns that this technological worldview threatens to overshadow human potential for a more authentic existence—an exacting description of our AI fears.

We have it upside down, which is why we operate from a position of fear. We must engage and learn.

It’s hard to see the future and where and how AI fits, but let me turn to an extreme answer found in Klara and the Sun, the eighth novel by the British writer Kazuo Ishiguro published in 2021. Ishiguro explores profound questions about artificial intelligence through the perspective of Klara, an Artificial Friend. The novel delves into the nature of consciousness and sentience in AI, questioning whether artificial beings can develop true emotions and self-awareness. It examines how AI might perceive and interpret the world differently from humans, as shown through Klara’s unique understanding of her environment.

The story raises ethical concerns about the creation and treatment of sentient AI, particularly in the context of human-AI relationships and AI’s role in society. Ishiguro contemplates the potential for AI to replace or augment human capabilities, while also highlighting the limitations and misconceptions humans might have about AI.

Klara and the Sun is a good starting point. I also urge you to jump right in and use ChatGPT, Microsoft’s Copilot, Claude (my favorite), or Jasper. Experiment with these agents—make grocery lists, ask for birthday party ideas, or a vacation spot. The key is how well you can ask the AI questions, and how deep you can take it. The better the questions, the stronger the response. Occupy the role of an interviewer or researcher looking to learn more about a subject.

As an example, I asked Claude: How can I integrate AI into my writing flow? It gave me 10 steps. The first step, says Claude, is Ideation and Brainstorming, and suggested that I use AI tools to generate topic ideas or expand on my initial concepts. Prompt the AI with your general theme to get related ideas or angles, continued Claude to instruct in a friendly conversational tone, and use AI-generated mind maps or outlines as starting points.

Acting as if I had no idea what any of these suggestions meant, I asked Claude to help me generate a topic idea. Claude quickly replied. Begin with a general topic or theme you’re interested in writing about such as sustainable living, said Claude. Claude added 10 steps to follow so that I may complete my essay.

What does this mean? Is it cheating? I’ve had the same conversation with students many times. Is AI replacing me? No. What AI is doing is holding a mirror to my work, how I interact with students and writing, and asking whether I may be able to do better and work more creatively.

AI is both an agent and a mirror. Claude, in our example, is acting on my behalf and taking an active role, which I control, in producing an effect. The result—a change or consequence of my actions—requires that I delve deeper into a subject, a slow, creative process that will create a partnership between AI and me. It’s best described as a collaboration.

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly changing our world in ways we’re only beginning to understand. In the coming weeks, we’ll explore how these smart computer systems are reshaping education and society.

Our journey will cover:

• AI as a digital tutor: Imagine having a teacher available 24/7, tailored just for you. We’ll see how AI is making this a reality;

• The hidden costs of AI: From the electricity powering massive computers to the price tag of cutting-edge technology, we’ll uncover what AI costs us and our planet;

• Keeping AI in check: As AI systems become more complex, who makes sure they’re behaving properly? We’ll dive into the challenges of managing these digital brains;

• AI and our democratic future: From social media to voting systems, AI is influencing how we make decisions as a society. We’ll examine what this means for our democracy.

In the meantime, if you have specific questions, feel free to email me at [email protected].

Editor’s note: In future weeks, this column will appear on Page 5A.

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