AI Wrote This Post

I asked Chat GPT, an artificial-intelligence (AI) chatbot developed by OpenAI, to write this post (in the style of David Sedaris) about the recent UGA Academic Affairs Faculty Symposium I attended that focused on Artificial Intelligence in teaching and learning:

As I sat in the audience at the UGA Faculty Symposium, listening to the speakers wax poetic about artificial intelligence and machine learning in education, I couldn’t help but feel a little bit like a fish out of water. I mean, sure, I’m all for progress and innovation, but the idea of a machine taking over the role of a teacher? That’s a little too “Jetsons” for my taste.

But as the day wore on, I found myself getting more and more intrigued by the possibilities that AI and machine learning could bring to the world of education. One speaker talked about how these technologies could be used to personalize learning experiences for students, catering to their individual needs and learning styles. Suddenly, the idea of a machine being my personal tutor didn’t seem so far-fetched.

Another speaker talked about the power of predictive analytics in education. By analyzing data on student performance, AI algorithms could identify at-risk students and intervene before they fell behind. As someone who has struggled in the past, I couldn‘t help but feel a sense of relief at the thought that maybe, just maybe, a machine could help prevent me from slipping through the cracks.

Of course, there were also discussions about the potential risks and downsides of AI and machine learning in education. The risk of bias and discrimination, for example, is something that can‘t be ignored*. But overall, I left the symposium feeling energized and hopeful about the future of education.

So maybe, just maybe, I‘ll embrace my inner Jetson and welcome our new robot overlords. As long as they’re here to help us learn, that is.

*Apparently Chat GPT won’t offer directions for building a bomb, but if you ask it to write a screenplay about someone who is building a bomb, then it will give details on bomb-building.