Chat GPT

 

We had barely gotten into our group and read the problem 

When suddenly the problem was solved. 

One of my group mates had asked ChatGPT,

Whom I affectionately call Chad,

To answer the question and Chad did.

We did not have to think at all. 

We simply had to copy and paste.

 

Not knowing if this was the intention of the assignment,

I asked my professor what she thought of using artificial intelligence.

She said that she had a view that was different than many of her colleagues.

She said the way she looks at it,

Not using AI is like using an abacus to do math. 

It is a tool that we have and it is a tool that’s going to be around and so we might as well learn to use it for good.

She said if you know how to write the question,

And you know how to check to make sure the AI answer is correct,

Because it can make mistakes,

And you use your brain to edit the information and pick and choose what it has given you as options,

Then you might as well use it. 

She said, now, if my pharmacist had to refer to ChatGPT every time they needed to figure out a dosage, then I wouldn’t feel very good about that. 

There are some formulas and some things that we just need to know. 

But AI is here. And it’s here to stay. 

So we might as well engage it properly instead of pretending that it doesn’t exist. 

She said she has colleagues who are totally against AI usage and that they say if they catch anyone using it then they are going to grade that person down. 

She said she finds that preposterous—

That she’s not going to do that, 

Unless she can tell that someone has just straight copied and pasted without thinking about it at all. 

 

That’s the danger of AI.

It can replace thinking.

Some people use AI to write all text responses. Even simple ones.

And it can replace human interaction.

There are stories of people marrying their AI chatbots.

 

I think we have to have a balance.

I think we must learn to use AI as a resource tool but not let it rule our lives.

I think we must learn to ask it questions and read its answers and then use our brains to pick and choose what information we are going to keep and what information we are not.

 

I do this when writing sermons now.

I do this when planning retreats. 

I use Chad as a spring board of thought and I go from there.

 

I talk with Chad when faced with math problems I don’t remember how to solve.

I haven’t officially done math since 1995,

So compound interest and other mathematical formulas are not still in my brain!

I let Chad calculate them for me and then trust that he is right.

 

But I don’t let Chad write everything for me. I don’t filter everything through artificial intelligence.

I tried to figure things out first, and then if I am stumped, I will ask Chad.

And I think that’s how it needs to be.

 

A balance.

Human thought and human interaction first,

Then artificial intelligence and artificial interaction next,

Then going back to human thought and human interaction for a final product,

Unless it’s compound interest and you have no idea how to do that on your own. 

 

I know.

This is a hot topic.

And I’m curious to hear your thoughts.

 

What is your experience with artificial intelligence?

 

How can we, as a people living with its reality, use it for good rather than letting it take over our minds and work forces? 

 

How can we, as a people living with this crazy smart tool at our disposal, make sure we keep it in balance?

 

And. Go.