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Artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT are becoming increasingly common for college students, but opinions about how the technology should be used vary widely.
Artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as ChatGPT, are becoming increasingly integrated into the daily academic lives of college students. This widespread adoption has sparked a significant debate among students at Brigham Young University regarding the ethical implications and appropriate uses of this rapidly evolving technology. While some students view AI with considerable optimism, seeing it as a powerful enabler for future advancements and personal productivity, others express profound wariness, highlighting potential risks and unaddressed ethical dilemmas. This dichotomy of opinion forms the core of the ongoing discussion, reflecting broader societal uncertainties about AI's role.
Cooper Anderson, a pre-business major and an active member of BYU's AI in Business Society, represents the optimistic faction, self-identifying as an 'AI opportunist.' He firmly believes that the vast opportunities presented by artificial intelligence significantly outweigh any inherent risks. Anderson draws an analogy to other powerful tools, stating that AI's ethical use ultimately depends on the individual user's responsibility. He suggests that, much like a gun can be used for both beneficial and harmful purposes, AI's outcome is determined by the intentions and choices of those who wield it. This perspective emphasizes individual accountability and the potential for AI to drive positive change when handled responsibly.
In stark contrast to Anderson's view, Truman Barnes-Owens, a theatre arts education major at BYU, expresses strong reservations about the current ethical viability of AI. His primary concern centers on the absence of comprehensive legislation regarding copyright and ownership of AI-generated content. Barnes-Owens argues that until robust laws and policies are established to clearly define what constitutes personal ownership in the realm of AI outputs, its use cannot be deemed ethical. Beyond intellectual property, he also raises critical environmental concerns, specifically addressing the immense energy consumption required to power the large data centers that underpin AI technology. While acknowledging some efforts, such as Google's AI operations in Finland that utilize 90% solar energy and recycled water, he points out that the global nature of AI means such sustainable practices are not consistently or reliably implemented worldwide, rendering AI environmentally unsustainable on a broader scale.
Taking a more measured, middle-ground stance, Eldon Perkins, an engineering major at BYU, highlights a significant practical challenge associated with artificial intelligence: its tendency to confidently present incorrect information. Perkins explains that AI models are rigorously trained to provide answers with an air of absolute certainty, regardless of the factual accuracy of their responses. This inherent characteristic means that the confidence projected by an AI is not a reliable indicator of its correctness, posing a considerable risk, particularly in academic and critical decision-making contexts where precision is paramount. His perspective serves as a warning against blindly trusting AI outputs.
Robert Walz, a BYU ethics professor, emphasizes the transformative impact of AI on education and the imperative for institutions to adapt. He asserts that universities risk 'disadvantaging students' by not equipping them with the skills to effectively use AI tools, as these technologies will undoubtedly shape their future professional landscapes. Walz highlights the inherent difficulty for academia to keep pace with rapid technological advancements, noting that the educational 'landscape' five years from now is largely unpredictable. Drawing historical parallels, he argues that individuals and societies that fail to embrace new technologies often face social or economic disadvantages. Therefore, he advocates for an forward-looking approach where AI literacy is considered a crucial component of modern education, despite the uncertainties it presents.