While most people are eager to learn more about how technology can help students, some are skeptical of AI’s value. I am pleased to inform you that the majority of people do not believe “Terminator-like” robots are ready to take over our lives. This is not the case. As much as I enjoy a good sci-fi film, our chatbots pose no threat to us. In this article, I’ll explain artificial intelligence and how it can help students achieve their academic and professional goals.
We have been socialized to be afraid of change. We are concerned about losing control even in the face of exciting innovation. And that is exactly what artificial intelligence should be: exciting! Innovation is at the heart of our progress. Yes, we humans believe that we are at the top of the food chain, and we are concerned that our own creations will become more powerful than we are. That’s terrifying. According to a recent Monmouth University poll, only 9% of Americans believe AI-based machines will do more good than harm. Why is there such a negative perception of AI?
The fear is genuine, but the reality is not. AI is not frightening!
Reasons Not to Fear AI
Throughout history, all innovations have impacted the world.
To say that technology is developing quickly is the understatement of the century, or rather, of human history. We have gained knowledge and made exciting discoveries and inventions throughout history. Not every advancement has benefited the human race, but many big ones, such as the computer, have altered the world around us for the better.
In addition, a lot of these innovations were initially met with skepticism. Did you know the first person to use an umbrella was publicly mocked? People mocked when Englishman Jonas Hanway began carrying an umbrella in the rain in London.
AI Is Not Sentient
Let me repeat: AI is not. Sentient. It cannot think or feel on its own. The idea that AI can produce thinking and feeling machines that will rebel against their creators has been perpetuated by unrealistic media, such as the films and books we mentioned above. But this is different.
Yes, AI is capable of learning. This is the underlying philosophy of machine learning, a subfield of AI that powers entities such as speech recognition and predictive analytics. But just because you’re learning doesn’t mean you’re feeling it.
AI Simplifies, Secures, and Boosts Efficiency at Work
People are constantly concerned that AI will replace them in the workforce. This is one of the more plausible scenarios on the list, much more so than AI taking over the world and rising against humans. But it will not make our jobs obsolete. It has already been successful at making many tasks simpler, safer, and more productive. We cannot trust machines with many of our jobs because they are too delicate and complex. However, machines can help us do our jobs more efficiently.
It can help in diagnostics, leading to more accurate diagnoses, and make patient check-ins more efficient in healthcare by using software that recognizes faces powered by machine learning. However, it cannot take the place of a physician.
AI Generates Employment
We acknowledged that AI could endanger jobs, particularly those that can be completely automated at some point. However, it is also important to remember that AI has the potential to create new jobs. According to the World Economic Forum, automation could eliminate 85 million jobs while creating 97 million new ones. In other words, AI has a lot of potential in the world of work. No, it’s not all sunshine and roses: to take advantage of these new roles and opportunities, people must learn new skills and competencies. However, in the workplace, upskilling is always necessary. People have needed to understand more to advance and grow professionally and personally since the beginning of time.
Humans invented AI
The technology developed by scientists and engineers is man-made. And they didn’t design it to be all-powerful—that’s simply impossible. The truth is that AI will never be able to become an all-knowing, all-powerful entity. Yes, humankind’s creations have occasionally proven extremely lethal and dangerous. However, humans continue to exert control over them. They are the ones who are accountable for the force they wield. The concerns about AI gaining control over humans are unfounded. That is not how we designed it. We can’t predict every possible outcome, but we can predict what our products will do.
AI is Not Under the Control of One Authority
A single person, group, or organization does not manage AI. It is ours collectively. That means that no corrupt individual or entity can seize control of all of the world’s AI and wreak havoc on society. Of course, a devil’s advocate argument can be made here. Couldn’t AI get out of hand if no single authority governed it? Who will control it? We will discuss this in more detail below, but for now, let’s say that the idea of AI going rogue has been greatly oversold in the media.
AI Has the Potential to Increase Creativity
The idea of AI influencing the creative industry has been widely discussed. We see it in art, music, writing, and other mediums. Is this a positive development? Let’s take a look at ChatGPT. While this tool can help writing, it cannot produce full, well-written, “human” articles. It can also be useful in assisting writers in honing their craft. HackerNoon polled its community to see if they use artificial intelligence in their writing workflows. And 86% said they would be open to using AI writing tools in their work. Meanwhile, the world’s first AI art gallery in Amsterdam has recently opened. The AI-created work at Dead End Gallery includes interactive installations, digital paintings, and other art.
Artificial intelligence is all around us
The truth is that you are constantly using AI—sometimes without even realizing it. And you’re probably taking advantage of it and enjoying it. AI powers the recommendation engines that produce suggestions on Netflix, Amazon, and other entertainment platforms. Technology has enabled the existence of Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant. Website chatbots that answer all of our questions? This is also due to AI.
Is Artificial Intelligence Ever Dangerous?
Pretending that there are no problems with AI at all would be incorrect and reckless. That is simply not the case. AI, like any technology or invention, has flaws. However, they are not as disastrous as we believe, and numerous solutions exist. Let’s take a look at Microsoft’s Bing Chat. Recently, the program designed to be Microsoft’s response to ChatGPT gained attention for its odd, even hostile, responses to human questions posed to the chatbot.
But here’s the thing: Bing Chat has some bugs, so it still needs to be ready for public use. Nobody is claiming that all AI-powered tools are ready for widespread use. They must be refined and improved. And this is an example of that. But will anyone follow Bing Chat’s bizarre advice to leave their partner? That would be unbelievable. There is also the possibility that it will aid in the spread of misinformation. And it’s certainly possible. Consider, however, that many of our most game-changing innovations do the same. Nobody is urging us to do away with the internet, is there? There are methods for misusing it, just like with any tool.
