Interview with an AI

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine (WAGM) -

Artificial Intelligence is a tool that has become more and more popular around the world. Last week WAGM took a look at the recent surge in Artificial Intelligence and potential issues regarding it’s use academically. Tonight Brian Bouchard sits down with the AI in a one on one interview.

According to University of Maine at Presque Isle President Raymond Rice, and Associate Professor of Computer Science, Doctor Rafiul Hassan, ChatGPT, an AI Language Model which has gained massive attention since its release, is a tool that has the potential of enriching the lives of those who use it.

“We have to embrace ChatGPT and we have to think how we can apply ChatGPT into our life to make our lives better.” says Hassan.

However, every tool can be used for both good and bad intentions. The AI’s of today have the potential to write essays, solve complex math problems, and more, which raises the question, where is the line drawn between embracing technology and academic integrity.

“We have an academic integrity policy and so it have different levels of violations so to speak. It really is initiated by the individual faculty member, if they feel there has been some sort of infringement and it starts with a conversation with the student, always, and then it goes from there.” says Rice.

And so, I decided to put the AI to the test. Given the parameters that I was a journalist asking questions, and that I understood the limitations of the AI, how would the machine answer my questions? We provided ChatGPT with an artificial voice to better communicate.

Many universities are concerned regarding student use of ChatGPT to complete assignments, comparing results generated from ChatpGPT to plagiarism or cheating. What do you think?

“While I can be a valuable tool for students looking to improve their writing or find information on a topic, it is ultimately up to individual institutions and instructors to determine what constitutes plagiarism or cheating in the context of their assignments and academic policies. It is important for students to use their own judgment and follow the guidelines set forth by their institutions when using any tool or resource, including AI language models like myself.”

I have spoken with an expert in computer science, that states you could be an extremely helpful tool if used correctly, however, there are examples on the internet of you providing false information in your responses. What level of trust can be placed in you?

“As an AI language model, I strive to provide accurate and informative responses based on the data and patterns that have been presented to me during my training. However, due to the vast amount of information on the internet and the possibility of biased or incorrect sources, there is always a risk that my responses may contain errors or misinformation.”

“And that is where the human aspect of our judgement and our being able to ask questions and verify facts and sources comes into play as it always has” says Rice.

It should be noted that throughout use of ChatGPT, the AI does its best to remind the user that it is an AI Language model, and cannot hold personal opinions or beliefs, and admits that there is a risk of misinformation. So far the university hasn’t had any examples of students using ChatGPT to undermine academic integrity, but if and when they do, the university will address it on a case by case basis.

Brian Bouchard, NewsSource8

Copyright 2023 WAGM. All rights reserved.