Artificial intelligence as we know it is rapidly changing everyday.
Most people hear the term AI, and what simply comes to mind is generative AI. According to Luisa Liboni, a professor at Western University and King’s College, artificial intelligence is really an umbrella term, “the term AI in the AI field is an old one, the term was coined in the 1950s, for systems that could do tasks that normally needed human intelligence.”
It’s hard to miss the current spike in generative AI. Magdalene Thomas, a professor at Fanshawe College says, “every application right now has some kind of AI feature attached to it and it’s become the norm. It’s just become part of our day to day living.”
Photo by: Samantha Luis
In classrooms especially, AI has taken a large hit to students learning process. Thomas says that courses are now changing and adapting so you can no longer just copy and paste from programs like Chat GPT.
“AI especially generative AI has to improve the learning experience, and speed up the learning process, it shouldn’t replace it,” Thomas said.
“Those students have to ask themselves if they are thinking and if they know what they’re doing, if we take AI off the plate,” Liboni said.
This change has had a big impact with students. Fanshawe’s online portal now has the option for professors to choose how much AI is allowed within the classroom.
Thomas says, “it helps in the learning process itself. But at the same time, there are also other courses, which I can’t speak on like journalism for example, you have to write a story on your own and you have to have that creativity within you. You cannot rely on AI completely. It has to aid or it has to be enhancing your creativity rather than replacing it.”
Many people don’t know what AI really is, the biggest assumption online is that AI will be taking over jobs.
“AI is definitely not going to take over jobs, but if you don’t keep up with AI and keep yourself updated and know how to use these AI tools and how to use it for your advantage, You are definitely going to be left behind,” said Thomas
Founder and president of Haggerty Agrobotics, Chuck Baresich says he has lots of concerns for generative AI.
“If we are not using the AI tools for a good purpose, or for a meaningful purpose, well, then all we’re doing is wasting energy. And I think that is harmful,” he said.
Agriculture uses AI in a complete different way from generative AI.
“One of the machines use an AI system to analyze the images that the implement is taking as it’s going across the field. And then once it analyzes those images, we can tell what is a weed and what is a plant,” he said.
He says the use of artificial intelligence in farming can lead to more plant yield and crop growth.
