AI, or Artificial Intelligence, has been around for longer than you might think. Since the ‘AI boom’ of the 1980s, AI tools have quickly evolved and are now becoming more common to use day to day.
We’ll cover the basics of AI and the things you need to know about its uses, its limitations, and how to engage with it safely.
What is AI and how does it work?
AI refers to computer programmes and machines that can perform tasks that would usually require human intelligence or input. The things it can do include writing text, generating images, translating languages, providing recommendations and so much more. You can even find it being used in healthcare where it can help to detect disease and analyse medical images.
You might find that you use some form of AI every day. Voice assistants like Alexa and Siri, content recommendations on platforms like Spotify and YouTube, and navigation apps like Google Maps all use AI.
AI learns by analysing huge amounts of data. It can identify patterns and trends in the data to adapt, and it uses algorithms (sets of rules and instructions) that guide its decision-making and output.
AI is a very complicated field and it’s evolving fast; our understanding of its capabilities and limitations is growing all the time.
What are the benefits of AI?
AI can help you work efficiently
AI can automate tasks that you were once required to do yourself. This can help you focus on other, more complex things. It can also help eliminate human error by completing tasks and quickly finding and fixing small problems.
AI can help you save time
AI can analyse huge amounts of data in only a fraction of the time it would take a person. It can identify patterns and offer insights that you might not be able to spot or don’t have the time to look for.
AI has created more jobs
The increasing research and resources we are putting in to advance its capabilities mean there are more people needed to create them. There are so many new AI careers, especially related to computer science and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths).
What are the risks of AI?
While AI has great benefits that make tasks easier, there are some risks and limitations to be aware of too.
AI has also taken some jobs
AI has already been used by some organisations to replace human workers, leading to a loss of jobs. Many people believe that we may see more jobs taken by AI as technology advances. However, it’s important to remember that there will always be a need for human workers. AI can’t do everything we can and it lacks vital human qualities such as creativity, critical thinking, and empathy.
AI is capable of bias
There have recently been concerns about bias in AI (for example the use of stereotypes and assumptions). AI can help us reduce the impact of our human biases, but it can also copy them.
The Harvard Business Review shares an example of this. In 1988, a computer programme was designed to accurately match human decisions and was used to determine which applicants would be picked for interviews. The British medical school using this computer programme was found guilty of discrimination because it was biased against women and people with non-European names. Here, the computer programme was copying what already existed, and this is still happening today.
AI has privacy concerns
AI requires lots of data to learn and develop its knowledge. AI programmes and tools (that create text, images etc) are often training using existing creative content like books and art. There are privacy concerns around where AI gets this data, how it uses it, and whether it is using it with or without the permission of the original owner/creator.
AI has an environmental cost
AI consumes a lot of electricity and water, which directly impacts climate change. According to Earth.org, it also increases waste in sectors such as electronics and e-commerce (online shopping), and AI use in environmental management may cause the overuse of harmful chemicals.
Should you use AI at work or school?
Since the rise of popular and free/cheap AI tools like ChatGPT, there has also been a rise in students and workers using it to help with their work.
It may seem like a quick and easy way to complete your work, but you should be careful how you use it. AI detection tools are becoming more sophisticated and they are sometimes used to check what work has been created by AI.
Passing off AI-generated work as your own may not technically be classed as plagiarism because it is not directly copying someone else’s existing work. However, it is still a form of cheating and it is not something you created yourself, so it will be taken seriously if you get caught.
For example, a university student faced an academic misconduct panel for using generative AI to finish an essay and said she was lucky not to have been kicked out of university. And it’s not just school! People have lost their jobs because they passed off AI-generated work as their own.
However, this does not mean you can’t ever use AI as a tool for work and school. You can use it to generate ideas, to create an outline, or to organise your notes. Your school or workplace may have an AI policy you can review (or will be required to review). AI may be banned or have special circumstances for its use; it’s always best to check.
If AI is not allowed, using it anyway can put your education, grades, or job at risk. If it is allowed, make sure you understand and follow your organisation’s rules about which tools you can use and how you can use them.
5 tips for engaging with AI safely
AI is likely here to stay, so it’s important to learn how to use it mindfully, productively, and safely.
Here are 5 quick tips to help you use AI safely at work, at school, and in life.
1. Be mindful of sharing personal data
Don’t give an AI platform your personal data unless you are absolutely certain that it is safe and will handle your data responsibly. This includes your full name, contact information, or financial information.
You should also take the time to understand and adjust the privacy settings of the tools and platforms you use.
2. Choose AI apps carefully
Not all AI apps and tools are safe. Hackers can use fake or dangerous AI apps to install malware on your device and steal your personal data. Use only trusted AI tools created by legitimate companies. If in doubt, always do your research before using or downloading anything.
3. Use AI as one tool, not your only tool
AI is amazing in many ways, but it can also make mistakes. You can use it as a tool, but always fact-check the information it gives you and do not rely solely on AI to make decisions or complete tasks for you.
4. Never pass off generative AI content as your own
Use AI tools to assist you in researching, generating ideas, creating outlines, and organising your notes, but never submit AI-generated work as your own. You will almost certainly be caught and could face serious consequences. This can also affect your learning because if you are not actually doing the work yourself, you won’t learn effectively.
5. Think critically
Don’t forget that AI is ultimately just a highly sophisticated computer algorithm. It cannot use emotional intelligence, to think critically, to display empathy, or to question its assumptions. But you have all those abilities and more. Never take something AI tells you at face value without thinking about it first.
