As computer scientist Fei-Fei Li says, “AI is everywhere. It’s not that big, scary thing in the future. AI is here with us.”
What comes to your mind when you first hear the word AI ? You might think about a robot answering your questions or a friendly software that is doing your assignments and giving you information like Google. But AI is beyond that.
Let’s dive into the past. Computer Machinery and Intelligence was just an idea proposed by mathematician and computer scientist Alan Mathison Turing in the year 1950. From the year 1950 to 1956, this idea garnered a wavering range of interest. The term AI (Artificial Intelligence) was introduced in the time period of 1957-1979. The eighties saw a rapid growth of AI, yet it was considered something to be developed in the future till 2012.
Data scientists, researchers, tech-enthusiast, mass people all were expecting AI or robot industries to flourish at least some decades later. However, fortunately or unfortunately AI showed revolutionary growth in the past few years. So much so that the less powerful form of it is now available in google play store and has started making everyone’s lives easier.
As AI is our present companion, students have also started reaping its benefits by using it for their day-to-day activities. They are taking advantages of it from doing assignments, homeworks, question solving to research projects and so on. One student from Jahangirnagar University added “Two-third of her assignments were done by the help of AI”. Recent graduates add that AI made their academic journey much easier. Students can easily avail the information from top notch university by just a click. Rimjhim a high school student said, “I use AI for my science projects and essay competitions. Teachers appreciate it more than my own doings.”
That was the positive side of AI. However, there is no unmixed blessing on earth. AI is no exception. As much as it helps us in our assignment, there is also the debate of whether it is replacing our creativity or not.
“AI is saving time but eradicating authenticity,” added a faculty of North South University. Students are taking the easy route. It is convenient for them to choose AI, but when they are given a task without the help of AI, they are taking longer hours than before. In some cases AI hampered the thinking ability so much that it becomes challenging for students to do assignment on their own. The alarming part is research projects are also getting done by AI.
Students might question what’s the use of time and energy when just a tool can do it better and in a few seconds.
However, researchers and scholars show concern that if this mindset continues, the natural instinct of brainstorming and creativity would be in threat. There has to be a balance. Taking help from AI to enhance the quality of projects is much appreciated but the idea should be generated from human brain. Too much of everything poisons it.
AI can be used as students’ helper but not a substitute of their brain. Many tools like copyright checker or idea authenticity checker can be used in order to ensure people’s creativity. People in the position of teachers and authority can add demerit points if an idea is found to be copy pasted.
Our awareness and some policy changes can ensure the creative use of human brain over AI as of now. It is high time we made sure human use AI not the other way around.