“By far, the greatest danger of AI is that people conclude too early that they understand it” – Eliezer Yudkowsky, AI Researcher. The term “Artificial Intelligence” was coined by computer scientist John McCarthy. It came into existence in 1956 entering as a field of academic research during a summer workshop at Dartmouth College, New Hampshire. People have been speculating about the dangers of such technology for decades. Job displacement, misinformation, algorithmic bias and data privacy violations just to name a few. However, we must not dismiss the major positive changes AI has had on society, benefitting humanity greatly.
Like any other piece of technology, AI has pros and cons. Nevertheless, there is a fine line between using AI as a tool to fix grammar, spelling mistakes etcetera to copying an entire essay to get done with homework. That is called plagiarism. AI has ruined learning, to the point where students become dependent on AI to complete whatever assignments, homework that are assigned. In doing so, it can lead to “cognitive debt” or “brain stunting” from the lack of critical thinking which is essential for learning. Cognitive debt is a long-term reduction in human thinking capacity and critical reasoning that builds up when one repeatedly offloads mental work to external tools, such as AI.
The issue is we do not know where to draw the line. Should it just be used for correcting grammar? Assisting with homework? If we give them an inch they’ll take a mile. Regardless of the precautions surrounding the use of AI, students will take advantage and use AI not just for what it is supposed to be used for: a helping tool. They will take an opportunity to plagiarise because in their perspective it is easier to use AI for an assignment like an essay because they do not have much work to do. They simply enter a prompt and use whatever feedback is given for their assignment, ignoring the fact that AI can make mistakes. Information that AI gives must be fact-checked before using it otherwise a risk of being sued will open up.
In a world where AI is prominent and knowing the students nature to use it often in their schoolwork, the schools should make it a point to be spreading awareness about the dangers of AI so everyone is aware of the risks. Mentioning the consequences for going beyond the precautions given surrounding AI is worthwhile as it allows the students to risk the assessment of the nature of technology that they are using. It will also encourage students to be responsible.
However, while education suffers the brunt of AI, there are other fields as well that suffer as much as education and in turn will bear a consequence. Another industry where AI is heavily used is in the art industry. AI tends to steal artworks from artists who have spent their blood, sweat and tears into their work. The speed with which it generates the artwork dismisses the hard work spent by the artist.
While AI is not inherently good nor bad, it is important to distinguish the boundaries between the two so as to not cross it often and suffer a consequence in return. It is up to the people using AI to distinguish the situations that require the technology and the situations that rely on the brain power. In order to prevent more cognitive debt from occurring, it is important for parents and teachers to spread awareness regarding the advanced technology and advising on when it can be used and when it should not be used.
By depending on AI for everything, the kids, unknowingly, throw away their future. Instead of becoming functioning adults, they become adults that do not know how to do a single task without referring to AI in turn ruining their quality of life. To prevent that from happening, everyone should be getting education regarding not just AI but any form of advanced technology so as to turn them into competent functioning adults with a great quality of life.
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