MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – Thousands of students will graduate from colleges in Wisconsin this month, and while concerns about artificial intelligence loom, a college dean and a Madison college student said personality and durable skills are irreplaceable.
Alejandra Beal is a student studying radiography at Madison Area Technical College. She also works as a peer coordinator specialist for the college’s career and employment services department, helping students navigate resources, schedule appointments and approve jobs on Handshake.
Beal said the department has fielded questions about AI from students.
“I get a lot of questions about like…we call it like phishing emails. Where there’s like ghosting jobs and things like that are created for AI to like take in information,” Beal said.
As a student, Beal said she feels hopeful that AI can enhance her ability to help patients in the future.
“As long as we can use AI and we can like use it as a tool if the students are able to help guide it would be very impactful,” she said.
Shifting focus from academic integrity to AI skills
Philip Parker is the dean of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville College of Engineering, Mathematics and Science. He said the university has pivoted its stance on AI and its policies to make sure students have the skills they need. The focus has shifted from protecting academic integrity to teaching students how to prompt AI.
“We look at AI as one more tool in our toolbox to be successful engineers, and computer scientists and mathematicians,” Parker said.
“The line I repeat to our students and our faculty very often is that you won’t be replaced by AI, and then I pause, and I say you might be replaced by a graduate who knows how to use AI better,” he said.
Parker said the emphasis on learning how to use AI does not replace the importance of personal skills.
The university sent out a survey to employers asking what they are looking for from hires as AI continues to advance.
“They talk about a mindset of resilience, being willing to learn, curiosity, lifelong learning, ethics, ethics keeps coming up over and over,” Parker said.
Parker said he would tell students and parents to make sure they get a degree that gives them durable skills transferable to many different careers.
Parker said he worries about AI replacing tasks interns would normally complete, ultimately affecting the amount of knowledge and experience they learn during an internship.
“They learn so much by doing that. It’s those very lower-level tasks that are going to be replaced by AI. In partnership with our employers we need to make sure our students are still being hired because we don’t want to lose out on that education that they’re getting in their jobs while they are still here,” he said.
Despite the constant changes, Beal said she is ready to embrace an AI world.
“I’m actually excited though to see how we can incorporate it. And I just want to be like one of the students that are able to use it and like help guide AI,” she said.
Using AI for resumes and cover letters
Parker said AI can be a great starting point for cover letters and resumes, but it is important that personality shines through in the cover letter.
AI at UW-Madison
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is preparing to open its new College of Computing and Artificial Intelligence this summer.
Remzi Arpaci-Dusseau was appointed as the college’s first dean.
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