The Artificial Future of Education

Nov 27, 2023

AUBURN, Al - Every nursing student at Auburn University dreads taking Human Anatomy and Physiology. The exams are infamous for their attention to detail, causing most students to seek out tutors and study for weeks in advance. However, McCall Nicholson, a junior at Auburn, managed to beat the system. Two nights before her exam, Nicholson sat down for a session with a new tutor: her laptop. 

Nicholson opened her browser to ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence application. She asked, “What are some questions for a college-level test on the nervous system?” To her delight, ChatGPT provided 50 different potential questions that tested her readiness for the exam. 

ChatGPT is one of the generative AI applications that soared in popularity in recent years. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology states that generative AI is a learning machine that creates new data by scrubbing existing data from the internet. This includes generating text, art, and other forms of media. 

Due to AI’s generative abilities, artificial intelligence takes a controversial place within higher education. According to Businesssolutions.org, “43% of college students in the US admit to using AI tools such as ChatGPT.” 

As artificial intelligence continues to expand, Auburn University grapples with the question of how AI should be used in the classroom. Some argue for the academic world to embrace AI because it enhances learning. Others believe AI’s ethical concerns are too great. 

AI Initiatives at Auburn

Students can find one of the leading forces of AI at Auburn tucked away on the second floor of the ACLC building. The Biggio Center helps Auburn faculty better prepare students for their futures. However, this small collection of offices do much more than meets the eye. 

Walking into the Biggio Center is like walking into the future. The walls are bright blue and red, and the work spaces feature zero-gravity chairs, a massage station, and AI simulation technology. 

Dr. Asim Ali, the Biggio Center’s executive director, shows off his gadgets as he explains how AI has impacted his position. 

One afternoon in November 2022, Ali was working on his lesson plans. Along with being the executive director of the Biggio Center, Ali also teaches an Information Management Systems course. Since ChatGPT’s creation, Ali began using AI to make case studies for his students. As he did so, an email appeared on his screen.

The subject line read “Using AI in my course.” Ali looked at his inbox and realized using artificial intelligence was a common question among teachers. As his eyes darted between ChatGPT and his email, something clicked; AI could be a powerful tool, but teachers do not know how to use it. 

“That is what we do at the Biggio Center - supporting and guiding our academic community through these kinds of trend changes,” said Ali. Therefore, the solution was simple. Ali created “Teaching with AI,” an online course that teaches Auburn faculty how to use and implement AI in their classrooms. 

Teaching with AI is free for all Auburn faculty and can be found on their Canvas webpage. In the last year alone, 650 people enrolled in the course. 

Along with the Biggio Center, another office joins the fight to spread AI awareness on campus. Dr. Christopher Basgier, the director of University Writing, takes a special interest in generative AI applications. 

“New AI programs like ChatGPT means I’m now leading campus conversations with many different departments,” said Basgier. His office is now a revolving door of lab coats and calculators, eager to learn more about AI. However, he sees equally as many white knuckles clinging to books who express their concerns.   

Benefits of AI in Education

Basgier supports the use of AI in the classroom because he believes the new applications enhance learning; “Every phase of AI is an opportunity to practice critical thinking,” he said. 

On Tuesday night, McCall Nicholson stared at her computer screen for what felt like hours. She read, reread, crossed out, and deleted until her eyes began to water. Scanning through the rubric, Nicalson realized all her research paper needed was one more quotation. Instead of scrambling through each paragraph, she calmly consulted with her favorite tutor.

“Where is the best place to add the following quotation into my paper?” Nicholson asked. ChatGPT analyzed her work and gave three different suggestions. “I didn’t pick any of the options, but ChatGPT’s suggestions forced me to think about why I didn’t like them and what I was really looking for.” 

Basgier argues that, when using AI like Nicholson, generative AI applications do not hinder critical thinking. Instead, it provides new avenues to consider and furthers students’ understanding of their work. 

Generating text is not the only function of AI. Dr. Chelsy Hooper, Auburn’s instructional technology manager, works with Adobe’s Creative Cloud. In October 2023, Adobe released Firefly, a new AI art generator. 

“Adobe Creative Cloud has had AI in its software for 10 years,” said Hooper. However, Firefly is a copyright free way for students to create art by simply typing in a description. The program only pulls from Adobe stock images to prevent stealing from other artists. 

“Firefly is useful to students regardless of their major and even if they have zero experience with design,” she said. 

McCall Nicholson can generate a model of the nervous system to help her study. She can visualize different symptoms of walking pneumonia. She can even photoshop a lab coat into her headshot and place herself in front of a hospital. 

Those who support AI in education believe it is an open door into higher levels of learning. They suggest generative AI is not a shortcut but instead an entirely new route. 

Generative AI Concerns

Those on the other side of the argument also agree that AI is not a shortcut. They believe it's a winding road towards disaster. 

Dr. Donald Wehrs, a literature professor at Auburn University, sits in his office with his arms folded across his chest. Piles upon piles of essays cover his desk, each one marked with red pen. Books stand cover to cover on the shelves, and those that can not fit, are stacked on the ground. 

Wehrs strongly opposes the use of AI in the classroom. “It's the temptation to cheat,” he said. “Artificial intelligence creates an ethos of mediocrities and laziness.” 

Like many others, he believes generative AI prevents students from reaching their full potential. It allows students to bypass important stages of the writing process. Because of his opposing stance on AI, Wehrs devises creative ways to work around it. 

Two days prior, Wehrs sat in his office with the stack of papers in front of him absent of any ink. He clicked the red pen in his hands and began reading the first essay. 

For his World Literature class, Wehrs assigned his students an essay on “The Divine Comedy,” but this was not just any essay. “I come up with questions for papers that nobody in the world except me is crazy enough to think of,” he said.  

So, as Wehrs read his students' essays, he marked an occasional “F” on the first page. He suspects that the essays that fail to fully address question are artificially generated. 

Basgier agrees that ChatGPT and other generative AI programs are not always successful at their job. “These models are based on probability. They are drawing on the most common patterns of language,” he said. Therefore, the writing can be generalized and superficial. Plagiarism also comes into question because AI draws language from people without their consent. However, both of these issues pale in comparison to Wehrs’s prediction. 

“I sometimes think that we may be on the verge of another dark age,” he said. “Humans will technologically advance their own stupidity to the point that the species will no longer be viable.” 

Many experts share Wehrs’s fear. If people continue to let AI think for them, they may lose the ability to think at all. 

Looking to the Future

Despite existing debates, all sides can agree that artificial intelligence is here to stay. Hooper said Auburn University should focus its efforts on regulating AI to ensure all students have equal opportunities. 

“Are we going to create a new digital divide with AI because the AI applications that work better are paid?” she asked. 

While ChatGPT 3.5 is free, ChaptGPT 4.0 requires a subscription. Hooper fears this disparity will create a disadvantage for students who cannot afford the paid applications. 

Hooper’s solution is for Auburn University to make AI equitable for all students. Similarly, Auburn became an Adobe Creative Campus in 2018, providing all students with free access to the Creative Cloud. She suggests Auburn do the same for generative AI applications. 

Many educators believe accessibility is crucial because students will most likely use AI in both their profession and personal lives. For example, Hooper helped her teenage daughter Natalie create her first resume using ChatGPT. Basgier updated his Linkedin branding statement based on AI suggestions. 

“AI seems to be a technology that is going to have an impact on every single profession. It's a responsibility to explore its use and see what the possibilities are, so we can share that as a learning experience for our students,” said Ali. 

While the future remains unclear, artificial intelligence will certainly be a part of it. Will AI enhance the human experience or lead the species into destruction? The answer: only time will tell.