In a world dominated by artificial intelligence, authenticity can be difficult to identify. This article could be written by a computer rather than a flesh-and-blood human, and the reader would never know.
Being an English teacher, Heather Haskins understands the difficulties that AI brings to her job because of the onslaught of plagiarized work that ChatGPT can produce at the click of a button.
But instead of limiting her students’ access, she encourages them to use ChatGPT ethically and to their advantage.
“[Students should] use it for their benefit and not to their detriment of learning,” Ms. Haskins said. “Make it a tool in their toolbox to enhance what they already know.”
Spanish teacher Ana Harris has found ways to use ChatGPT to her advantage while making assignments and quizzes for her classes.
Although the answer key she receives typically comes with a few mistakes, she appreciates the amount of time she saves on preparing worksheets for her students.
“I need to modify it, obviously, but the time to modify it is significantly less than the time that it takes to create it from scratch,” Mrs. Harris said. “It also gives me the opportunity to show you kids that it is a perfect tool to use to study.”
While AI comes with its many positive aspects, there are still negative characteristics that need to be accounted for.
The issue with artificial intelligence, like ChatGPT, is not its lack of authenticity, but its lack of humanity.
“I think there is a certain humanness… that ChatGPT can’t replicate,” Ms. Haskins said.
She believes that while some careers can be overtaken by artificial intelligence, other jobs, like teaching, cannot be performed accurately by AI no matter how advanced it becomes.
However, there are certain professions that face difficulties with the onslaught of technology entering the workforce, namely writers.
Junior Charlie Kurzym, an aspiring playwright, worries about what AI could mean for his future.
“ChatGPT is scary,” Kurzym said. “I haven’t even started college and now there is something threatening the very career I want to pursue.”
The recent SAG-AFTRA strike was due to this. The creative minds that have fueled Hollywood for decades are facing complications, because they realized that their hard work is being replaced by bland, computer-generated storylines.
So, while technology shouldn’t be feared, there also should be precautions put in place to ensure that innovative minds are allowed to prosper without the fear of technological substitution at every turn.
“We have to do whatever we can to make sure that AI doesn’t replace writers,” Kurzym said. “If we lose our creativity, what more do we have left?”
