This post was originally published on this site.
Noah Johnson Daily Press
A local graphic designer shows an AI generated image that she uses as a reference for a project for a client,
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Local schools are learning to properly utilize Artificial Intelligence (AI) and prevent inappropriate usage.
AI is becoming more and more prevalent in everyday life. It can generate renderings of funny images, videos and even songs. AI can also help students cheat on class assignments and homework.
Director of Information Technologies at Bay College Jonathan Lane, explained that AI can be helpful but is also dangerous in the wrong hands.
“As an IT tool, AI can be extremely beneficial. It can be used to automate tasks or even respond to network threats. Those same benefits can also be a problem too. Bad actors can leverage AI to create more effective cyber-attacks,” Lane said.
He explained that AI learns new information and begins to compile it in a way that makes it seem authentic.
“AI works in a manner very similar to our own brains. The computers are taught to pick up on patterns in data and to use those patterns to create something new,” he said.
AI is a tool that can be harmlessly played around with to render fun media, letting the imagination run wild by creating unique renderings.
“If we ask an AI model to create a picture of a baseball game at the top of a mountain, it could do some scouring of data to understand what a baseball game looks like. It would do the same with a mountain, and finally, it would put those together to create something that never existed before,” Lane explained.
As they do, humans found a way to use AI to complete tasks for them. It is beneficial for minute tasks, allowing users to focus on larger projects.
“Many companies are using AI tools to increase the productivity of workers by taking tasks off their plate, allowing them to focus less on repetitive tasks and more on bigger picture items,” Lane said.
While AI is a helpful tool, there is a fine line between using AI as a resource and using AI as a cheat code.
“AI can definitely be an issue regarding student assignments,” Lane said.
Because of this, Bay and local grade schools are looking at ways to manage AI use for assignments.
“We are taking it as it comes,” said Gladstone High School Principal Andy Jacques.
Jacques is looking at AI as a tool that can be beneficial as long as it’s used properly.
“As we learn more about AI and we’ve gone through different professional development opportunities to be able to learn more about – we are considering it as a tool,” he said.
He compared AI to tools in the automotive class, saying the teachers show the students how to use different auto equipment safely.
“We gotta do that in English class and math class,” he said.
Jacques said the school uses Google Documents for essays and papers, allowing teachers to view the assignment as it is worked on and monitor the work history.
The primary purpose of using Google Documents is for the teachers to provide advice and notes to the students, but can be used to ensure AI is not writing the assignment for them.
He added that AI has not been a major issue for the school, but rather individual cases where AI is used unethically.
He said that most youths are aware of AI and probably have used it before, so he and the faculty want to ensure they guide them on correctly using it in school and beyond.
“We’re trying to get on the forefront of trying to get them to use it properly before it gets to be an issue,” Jacques said.
He said he is not just considering the student’s time in school but also their professional lives when they graduate.
“When they go to college, or they go to a job, and they’re using AI for any situation – we want to make sure that they are using it properly so they don’t get disciplined or fired or anything like that. We want to set them up for success,” he said.
AI is also garnering attention in higher education.
Vice President of Academic Affairs and Educational Equity at Bay, Amy Reddinger, PhD said AI has been a conversation at academic conferences in the past few years. As recently as May, Bay hosted an event where AI was one of the themes.
“We are all learning a lot about what AI is and isn‚Äôt and how it can be appropriately engaged. At the same time, we know that the ease of use of AI and the lack of guidelines have allowed a lot of students to use these tools to help complete homework. It is an enormous ethical and social conversation in education and beyond,” Reddinger said
She explained that there is not a standard training program for instructors on identifying AI in assignments but, faculty are communicating with one another about their experience and approaches to AI.
“What we do know is that AI is everywhere, and most of us use it every day without even realizing it,” she said.
She gave the example of apps and search engines, saying that AI is embedded within them.
The instructors at Bay each make their own decisions about AI in their classroom – some choose to allow it while others do not.
“Faculty have the freedom to adopt a range of approaches ‚Äì and some instructors are embracing students using AI as a thought partner and research tool while other instructors strictly prohibit using AI to generate any component of assignments,” Reddinger said.
She said that AI impacts every field of study, but more attention is directed towards English and other fields where papers are written more often.
“However, AI can be used in math, science, technology, and more,” Reddinger said.
She added that Bay consistently provides opportunities for staff to hear from AI experts so they can be well-versed in its usage and development. The college is also revisiting policies to help combat the inappropriate use of AI.
“We are working on our campus academic integrity policies to reinforce that students’ work must represent their own critical thinking and ideas,” Reddinger said.
Reddinger echoed Jacques, saying AI is an amazing tool that needs to be cautiously explored.
She said she used it to create a training and fueling schedule for the Mackinac Swim Race.
“I wouldn‚Äôt have had the expertise and knowledge to be able to put together such a tool; at the same time, I modified the schedule presented to me to meet my own needs. And it was incredibly helpful,” she said.
Lane added that students and other users should not fully trust AI as it is prone to mistakes.
“I, personally, would not fully trust AI-generated answers. I have played with it a bit and have seen it return absolutely incorrect information. It does learn from these mistakes, but it does make them,” Lane said.
Reddinger said it would not be beneficial to the public to deny the power of tools such as AI.
“We must move ahead thoughtfully and carefully so that we retain the importance of human intelligence in the presence of vast artificial intelligence.”