Why did I propose this AI Legislation?
Great question! I think that artificial intelligence is likely gonna be a defining part of the 21st century. I don’t think anyone can disagree with me there. But an interesting point was raised in an article I read (and also was mentioned in), and I think it does put to words what’s happening with AI right now. There’s a good bit of “hype mongering”.
Even though this very bill could be considered hype mongering, I can’t say I disagree with the general sentiment of this point. Part of the whole AI bubble going on right now is the hype that’s being generated generated by all these fantastic promises made by AI Company CEOs like AGI, Superintelligence, the “AI Research Singularity”, etc. I think people have really taken off with this one, especially considering these same CEOs are admitting we’re in a bubble.
Now, AI can do some really cool things. It helped me build the website you’re reading, bengoldstein.org, organized hundreds of files on my computer, helped me learn applied econometrics in R. I automated the download of almost 900,000 files with AI, and talking with AI in the right way is continuing to help me develop as a thinker. Unfortunately I think that the “lazy” uses of AI that we see in schools are far more common than the “proper” uses of AI.
Moreover, there isn’t really a way to get a factual, unbiased perspective for students.
I was watching a Youtube video made by a lady who uses an AI generated avatar to talk on screen and sells an AI course, and SHE was trying to tell me that AI is going to change the game and that the only way to succeed is to buy what she’s selling. It’s a whole new generation of snake oil salesmen…
I think this is a huge problem and part of why I’m proposing SGR 13. I think it’s important that students have a foundational understanding of such transformative technology without somebody trying to sell them something or convince them that the world is ending. Understanding the landscape we’re currently operating in, especially in the job market, is essential for just being an adult, in my opinion.
I emailed a professor about this bill, and not only was he a bit prickly about it, he tried to shut it down by saying that “STEM companies are firing their employees for use (or misuse, rather) of AI which ended up leaking data”. Unfortunately, this kind of reinforces the point I’m trying to makeThis kind of ignorance could be solved with the right kind of education. Education like what I’m proposing in this bill.
The point that “people who want to learn this shit will, and if they don’t then they won’t” can be made and has been made to me. And while to some degree I agree with this statement, I think it’s a more nuanced situation than that.
People don’t want to take the initiative when their world is getting rocked by insane new technology. That’s why I proposed this bill. Unfortunately (and this is another discussion), the world around us is changing, and it’s in favor of convenience.
People do things because they are convenient, they pay for things that are convenient, and if it’s not convenient they might not do it. I’m making a vast generalization, but I think the majority of people, myself included, prefer for things to be more convenient. In fact, that’s mostly what AI does. Make things more convenient. And that’s what my bill aims to do as well. Help make unbiased AI education free and available to LSU students who want it, and make sure that it is made available to students.