Authored By Dr. Kendra Gaines

AI. Artificial Intelligence. Which of these two words should one pay most attention to? The “artificial” part, or the “intelligence” part? If you’re thinking I have the answer, sorry to disappoint, but I do not. I do know that it’s everywhere now, and it’s just the beginning. Already there’s a divide; some will say hooray, it will solve so many problems and streamline all that boring work. Others will say, but it’s going to make everyone lazy. People will stop thinking altogether. They’ll just believe everything that AI tells them, and if it’s wrong, they’ll never know! AI will infect and destroy everything! What is the truth here?

In the past few months, as an online English professor, I’ve been required to engage with AI more than I might like, simply because one of the courses I teach—English Composition— has incorporated AI into its syllabus. Students absolutely must engage with AI, whether they wish to or not, because various assignments throughout the course include an AI component that is unavoidable. As for me, I had to undergo rigorous training with AI before I was even allowed to teach the course. So at least now I’m not as ignorant about it as I was, and my opinions are based on substantial interaction with it.

What do I think? On the positive side, it can be great fun to interact with. One of my students said she asked AI to “roast”—criticize—her and she enjoyed it. So, I gave it a try and I have to confess that I enjoyed it too. I used Claude, rather than ChatGTP, and I found that Claude can be quite engaging. I can also see the potential for addiction to AI, primarily because any interaction with it does come across as personalized. In our society that seems bent on isolating people in their homes with food deliveries, online banking, and lots of Netflix movies, Claude can seem like a caring friend to many.