AI’s Impact Will Extend Far Beyond the Classroom

To the Editor:

Like so many things that academia faces, this currently emerging technology is being discussed here in such a narrow way that it misses the e-forest for the e-trees (“AI and the Future of Academic Writing,” The Chronicle, December 13). Even this particular AI tool — which is likely only one of many that will be suddenly everywhere — poses a likely existential threat (for good, not just “bad”) not only to the narrow focus of classroom teaching (itself a kind of fossilized institution that education doesn’t know how to get out of) but to the very existence of classrooms, teachers, administrators, specialists... and more.

This is a potential society-wide changer, not just a classroom teaching-changer. Has anyone who is worrying about “what this is going to do to my classroom and my students,” for example, tried to use this tool to write a curriculum? ...a business-plan... an academic presentation.... a year-end report.... a strategic plan..... a financial analysis.... etc. etc.? These and more are just minutes away from the keyboard input of an adept user — even a user who knows little about the expertise of a particular subject area, administrative role, or professional skill.

This isn’t just about students being honest in their writing of papers. Very far from it. It is, among other things, all of us now heading into a world where much of what we do in education may be moot.... this is, to recall educators Barr and Tagg from several decades ago, a fundamental “paradigm shift.” This is, for better or worse, “disruptive technology,” and the “disruption” in the completion of classroom assignments is the very least of it.

Brian Donohue-Lynch
Professor of Antropology and Sociology

Quinebaug Valley Community College
Danielson, Conn.