Artificial Intelligence and Academic Work – introductory thoughts

 “As someone who is interested in the intersection of artificial intelligence and academia, I have been closely following the development of AI text and image generation tools and the ways in which they are beginning to influence the way we work and create” in academia. And also as 2023  will be clearly about AI. “In this series of blog posts, I want to delve into the potential impacts these tools may have on academia, specifically in terms of academic work and workflow.” What is going to be, however, more interesting is that I am going to give prompts to these tools about what they should write and what images they should generate, and this way we’ll also see how effective the tools are. This post has been written mostly by OpenAI chatGPT, and the images have been generated exclusively by NighCafe Studio. To distinguish the different voices, I'll put the words that Open AI chatGPT generated between quotation marks and my own lines without them.

NightCafe Studio (07/01/2023)

“What are AI text and image generation tools?

AI text generation refers to the use of artificial intelligence to produce written content. These tools utilize machine learning algorithms to analyse and understand language patterns, allowing them to generate coherent and often convincing text on a variety of topics. This can be something as simple as a social media post or as complex as a research paper.

AI image generation involves the use of AI to create original images or manipulate existing ones. This can range from simple tasks like adding a watermark to a photo to more complex tasks like generating entirely new images based on a set of specified characteristics.

How are these tools being used in academia?

One area where I have seen AI text generation being utilized in academia is through the use of automated abstract and summary writing “and also in higher education potentially by students to generate home assignments. These tools can analyse a research paper and produce a concise summary of its key points, saving researchers time and effort in the process.” Furthermore, as I teach at a university in Hungary, I know students will start using it for their written assignments. Instead of being afraid of this, I will teach them how to use it, and show that even to be able to appreciate it we have to learn much together. As I teach essay writing, I will introduce this to my students. Also I will thematise its use, its fair use.

“AI image generation is also being used in academia, particularly in fields such as biology and medicine. For example, AI can be used to create realistic 3D models of biological structures, which can be useful for education and research purposes.” Also for the sake of creating illustrations, one may well use these tools. And also, I will use the images as a model to chart cultural, visual biases, as the images are related closely to the corpus that machine has been trained on. For example, it is interesting to explore the image of this post: the colour scheme, the human hand (why a man and not a woman – the prompt was gender neutral), why a wooden desk, no ring on the fingers, why a pullover and not a shirt, why a laptop and not a PC, the perspective?

“What are the potential impacts of these tools on academic work and workflow?

As someone who has seen first hand the demands placed on academics to publish research and teach, I can see the potential for AI text and image generation tools to increase efficiency and productivity. By automating certain tasks, researchers can save time and focus on more important and complex aspects of their work.

Another potential impact is the democratization of information. AI text generation tools have the potential to make research more accessible by generating summaries and abstracts that can be easily understood by a wider audience. Similarly, AI image generation tools can help to make scientific concepts more visual and easier to understand for a wider audience.

However, it's important to note that these tools also have the potential to be misused. For example, there have been instances of AI-generated text being used to spread misinformation or propaganda.” And it is also possible that papers, assignments will be written with the help of AI. “In order to mitigate these risks, it will be important for researchers and university educators to establish guidelines for the ethical use of these tools.”

“Conclusion:

As AI text and image generation tools continue to develop and improve, it's crucial that we consider their potential impacts on academia. While these tools have the potential to increase efficiency and productivity, as well as democratize information, it's important to also consider the potential risks and establish guidelines for their ethical use. In this series of blog posts, I plan to explore these topics in greater depth and examine the ways in which AI text and image generation tools are shaping the future of academia.” If interested in these cooperative meditations, please, read and maybe comment on the posts!