AI remains an unsolved mystery to many in academia, with many school districts and universities rushing to ban the use of ChatGPT in the classroom. While many of these bans have since been rescinded, many schools still remain hesitant about how AI tools might be used (or misused) in classrooms and labs.
But AI will inevitably become a part of the workforce going forward: The World Economic Forum predicts that generative AI will create 97 million new jobs by 2025.
Where will all these people learn AI and get the training they need to succeed in this new economic environment?
Georgia Tech takes the opposite approach, welcoming the use of AI in studies, essays, and other assignments, but with some guardrails: Even in fields and industries where AI is regulated or restricted, engineers need to learn it.
It is educators' responsibility to use AI to guide students on the right path, and we can't achieve this if we're afraid. We're not alone in this belief: schools like the University of Michigan, University of Colorado Boulder, and University of California, Irvine have all allowed AI and are taking steps to provide AI tools to their students.
Leveraging AI to move forward
AI education is where computing education was 25 years ago, when it became clear that computing skills were an essential part of the curriculum at all levels and disciplines. AI is the next technology that all students need to know a little about to survive in the modern world.
Embracing AI is the best way to unlock its potential. AI is a tool. I see it as a black box, its mysteries waiting to be unravelled so both students and faculty can better understand how it works and its limitations.
Allowing students to use generative AI to solve problems or assist with assignments shows them what AI can and can't do. Students should thoroughly explain how and why they used AI. By providing this framework, students are more likely to understand that AI is a collaborator, not a replacement, for their intellectual work.
Educating the next generation requires democratizing access to advanced computing resources to advance their understanding of AI skills. Engineering students agree that access to this level of computing would help them meet the demands of the job market and research community. That's why we partnered with the private sector to build the AI Makerspace, a supercomputer designed to teach students the skills they need to master and succeed in the new AI world. Tools like the AI Makerspace help both students and faculty learn and train with the latest technology.
AI leaders teach and learn at the same time
Instructors in all disciplines should be prepared to lead discussions about guardrails for the use and misuse of AI to help students understand both how to use it and why to use it.
As with any technology, there needs to be clear, ground rules with no grey areas: Dos (review AI-generated content and disclose its use) and don'ts (don't input protected or sensitive data into AI tools) need to be clearly defined on university websites, college sites, and in course materials for any course that uses AI (which ultimately means any course).
One place to outline these decisions about AI is in admissions. Georgia Tech clearly outlined an AI statement in their application process. Be sure to remember that the final idea must be the student's own, and treat the AI as a collaborator to brainstorm, edit, and refine the idea.
This shows incoming students how AI will be used at university and helps prevent AI misconduct by outlining what is not acceptable, without black labelling all AI.
AI leaders and faculty are, of course, learning as they teach. Now is the time to collaborate and unravel the possibilities, benefits, and pitfalls of AI. It is important to have a diverse faculty, so that we can represent as many different slices of society as possible and provide a unified perspective on how AI is used while allowing for variation in how AI is used in different fields.
It's important to note that fundamental knowledge remains the same. Basic math and science are the fundamental knowledge base, and making sense of data has always been a human job. Students will still need to learn the nitty-gritty of their chosen field. AI can't replace that. But AI is here to stay and will become an increasingly beneficial tool in nearly every workplace. Those who know what AI can and can't do will be successful. And those who don't embrace AI won't get anywhere near it.
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