{"id":18020,"date":"2025-03-10T14:06:23","date_gmt":"2025-03-10T18:06:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/?p=18020"},"modified":"2025-04-11T10:20:38","modified_gmt":"2025-04-11T14:20:38","slug":"artificial-intelligence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/blog\/artificial-intelligence\/","title":{"rendered":"Eckerd College Winter Term courses point the way to an increased focus on artificial intelligence"},"content":{"rendered":"[vc_row type=&#8221;in_container&#8221; full_screen_row_position=&#8221;middle&#8221; column_margin=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_tablet=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_phone=&#8221;default&#8221; scene_position=&#8221;center&#8221; text_color=&#8221;dark&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; row_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; row_border_radius_applies=&#8221;bg&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; shape_divider_position=&#8221;bottom&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221;][vc_column column_padding=&#8221;no-extraa-padding&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;all&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221; desktop_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; tablet_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; phone_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; background_hover_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; column_backdrop_filter=&#8221;none&#8221; column_shadow=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; column_link_target=&#8221;_self&#8221; column_position=&#8221;default&#8221; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; tablet_width_inherit=&#8221;default&#8221; animation_type=&#8221;default&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; border_type=&#8221;simple&#8221; column_border_width=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_style=&#8221;solid&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; text_direction=&#8221;default&#8221;]\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-18020-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/anchor.fm\/s\/deee7c24\/podcast\/play\/99700809\/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2025-2-11%2F31fb5450-2a6c-ae14-6969-c63c0935cddc.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/anchor.fm\/s\/deee7c24\/podcast\/play\/99700809\/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2025-2-11%2F31fb5450-2a6c-ae14-6969-c63c0935cddc.mp3\">https:\/\/anchor.fm\/s\/deee7c24\/podcast\/play\/99700809\/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2025-2-11%2F31fb5450-2a6c-ae14-6969-c63c0935cddc.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n[\/vc_column_text][divider line_type=&#8221;No Line&#8221; custom_height=&#8221;16&#8243;][image_with_animation image_url=&#8221;18030&#8243; image_size=&#8221;full&#8221; animation_type=&#8221;entrance&#8221; animation=&#8221;None&#8221; animation_movement_type=&#8221;transform_y&#8221; hover_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; alignment=&#8221;&#8221; border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; box_shadow=&#8221;none&#8221; image_loading=&#8221;default&#8221; max_width=&#8221;100%&#8221; max_width_mobile=&#8221;default&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; text_direction=&#8221;default&#8221;]<em>Screenshot of &#8220;Alien Music&#8221; created by sophomore Sydney Campbell-Mathew with the help of OpenAI Sora (for video) and Suno.AI (for audio)<\/em>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=&#8221;full_width_content&#8221; full_screen_row_position=&#8221;middle&#8221; column_margin=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_tablet=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_phone=&#8221;default&#8221; scene_position=&#8221;center&#8221; top_padding=&#8221;32&#8243; text_color=&#8221;dark&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; row_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; row_border_radius_applies=&#8221;bg&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; shape_divider_position=&#8221;bottom&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; shape_type=&#8221;&#8221; gradient_type=&#8221;default&#8221;][vc_column column_padding=&#8221;padding-2-percent&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;right&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221; desktop_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; tablet_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; phone_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; background_hover_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; column_backdrop_filter=&#8221;none&#8221; column_shadow=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; column_link_target=&#8221;_self&#8221; column_position=&#8221;default&#8221; el_class=&#8221;news_subhead&#8221; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; tablet_width_inherit=&#8221;default&#8221; animation_type=&#8221;default&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; border_type=&#8221;simple&#8221; column_border_width=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_style=&#8221;solid&#8221; column_padding_type=&#8221;default&#8221; gradient_type=&#8221;default&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; text_direction=&#8221;default&#8221;]\u201cThe market for jobs in the AI sector has surged in the last two years, according to a recent analysis from the University of Maryland and job-tracking firm LinkUp\u2014the latest in a slew of studies indicating AI skills are in high demand.\u201d<br \/>\n\u2014<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2025\/02\/27\/business\/chatgpt-ai-jobs-surge\/index.html\">Matthew Kaufman, CNN, Feb. 27, 2025<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=&#8221;full_width_content&#8221; full_screen_row_position=&#8221;middle&#8221; column_margin=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_tablet=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_phone=&#8221;default&#8221; scene_position=&#8221;center&#8221; top_padding=&#8221;32&#8243; text_color=&#8221;dark&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; row_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; row_border_radius_applies=&#8221;bg&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; advanced_gradient_angle=&#8221;0&#8243; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; shape_divider_position=&#8221;bottom&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; shape_type=&#8221;&#8221; gradient_type=&#8221;default&#8221;][vc_column column_padding=&#8221;no-extra-padding&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;right&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221; desktop_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; tablet_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; phone_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; background_hover_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; column_backdrop_filter=&#8221;none&#8221; column_shadow=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; column_link_target=&#8221;_self&#8221; column_position=&#8221;default&#8221; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; tablet_width_inherit=&#8221;default&#8221; animation_type=&#8221;default&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; border_type=&#8221;simple&#8221; column_border_width=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_style=&#8221;solid&#8221; column_padding_type=&#8221;default&#8221; gradient_type=&#8221;default&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; text_direction=&#8221;default&#8221;]Against that backdrop, two recent Eckerd College Winter Term courses offered a preview of the College\u2019s growing focus on the study of artificial intelligence. The Winter Term courses were AI Culture and Communication, taught by <a href=\"\/communication\/faculty\/hildebrand\/\">Julia Hildebrand, Ph.D.<\/a>, assistant professor of <a href=\"\/communication\/\">communication<\/a>, and Writing in an AI World, taught by Alexis Ramsey-Tobienne, Ph.D., associate professor of rhetoric.<\/p>\n<p>Hildebrand, Ramsey-Tobienne and other Eckerd faculty members have been integrating AI into their classes for several years. \u201cIt\u2019s definitely been seeping into my teaching as it\u2019s been growing in the public discourse and proliferating across professional domains,\u201d Hildebrand says. \u201cIt was clear to me that there is a desire and a demand for students to learn about it. A study from last August by the Digital Education Council surveyed almost 4,000 students from 16 countries and found that 86% of the students already use AI in their studies.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=&#8221;full_width_content&#8221; full_screen_row_position=&#8221;middle&#8221; column_margin=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_tablet=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_phone=&#8221;default&#8221; scene_position=&#8221;center&#8221; top_padding=&#8221;6%&#8221; bottom_padding=&#8221;4%&#8221; text_color=&#8221;dark&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; row_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; row_border_radius_applies=&#8221;bg&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; advanced_gradient_angle=&#8221;0&#8243; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; shape_divider_position=&#8221;bottom&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; shape_type=&#8221;&#8221; gradient_type=&#8221;default&#8221;][vc_column column_padding=&#8221;no-extra-padding&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;right&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221; desktop_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; tablet_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; phone_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; background_hover_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; column_backdrop_filter=&#8221;none&#8221; column_shadow=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; column_link_target=&#8221;_self&#8221; column_position=&#8221;default&#8221; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; tablet_width_inherit=&#8221;default&#8221; animation_type=&#8221;default&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; border_type=&#8221;simple&#8221; column_border_width=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_style=&#8221;solid&#8221; column_padding_type=&#8221;default&#8221; gradient_type=&#8221;default&#8221;][image_with_animation image_url=&#8221;18295&#8243; image_size=&#8221;full&#8221; animation_type=&#8221;entrance&#8221; animation=&#8221;None&#8221; animation_movement_type=&#8221;transform_y&#8221; hover_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; alignment=&#8221;&#8221; img_link_large=&#8221;yes&#8221; border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; box_shadow=&#8221;none&#8221; image_loading=&#8221;default&#8221; max_width=&#8221;100%&#8221; max_width_mobile=&#8221;default&#8221;][divider line_type=&#8221;No Line&#8221; custom_height=&#8221;16&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; text_direction=&#8221;default&#8221;]<em>(Left to right) Michael D&#8217;avena &#8217;26, Rickert Koch Johannsen &#8217;25, Assistant Professor Julia Hildebrand, Camryn Batycki &#8217;25 and Sydney Campbell-Mathew &#8217;27 work with generative artificial intelligence. (Photo by Devan\u00e9e Williams &#8217;25)<\/em>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=&#8221;full_width_content&#8221; full_screen_row_position=&#8221;middle&#8221; column_margin=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_tablet=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_phone=&#8221;default&#8221; scene_position=&#8221;center&#8221; top_padding=&#8221;32&#8243; text_color=&#8221;dark&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; row_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; row_border_radius_applies=&#8221;bg&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; advanced_gradient_angle=&#8221;0&#8243; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; shape_divider_position=&#8221;bottom&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; shape_type=&#8221;&#8221; gradient_type=&#8221;default&#8221;][vc_column column_padding=&#8221;no-extra-padding&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;right&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221; desktop_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; tablet_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; phone_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; background_hover_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; column_backdrop_filter=&#8221;none&#8221; column_shadow=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; column_link_target=&#8221;_self&#8221; column_position=&#8221;default&#8221; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; tablet_width_inherit=&#8221;default&#8221; animation_type=&#8221;default&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; border_type=&#8221;simple&#8221; column_border_width=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_style=&#8221;solid&#8221; column_padding_type=&#8221;default&#8221; gradient_type=&#8221;default&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; text_direction=&#8221;default&#8221;]Eckerd already offers <a href=\"\/computer-science\/\">computer science<\/a> courses focused on AI. They include \u201cEvolutionary Computation,\u201d \u201cArtificial Intelligence\u201d and \u201cMachine Learning.\u201d A Data Science Fundamentals course also includes basic machine learning in AI, and the College\u2019s Interdisciplinary Problem Minor program with a focus on technology likewise includes AI topics.<\/p>\n<p>But last January\u2019s two AI Winter Term courses took the study of AI at Eckerd to the next level. \u201cThis was a discussion-based course that looked at the sociocultural foundations and implications of specifically generative AI\u2014what it is, what it does and what resources it uses,\u201d Hildebrand says of her offering.<\/p>\n<p>One of her central goals was to have students understand both the potentials and the risks of generative AI in everyday contexts, from their professional to their private lives. \u201cStudents need to understand that, currently, generative AI is like an autocomplete\u2014the most likely word to follow another word,\u201d she explains. \u201cAI can only know what it\u2019s been trained on, and that doesn\u2019t necessarily reflect reality, nor does it always get it right. Students need to be good stewards of these tools. They do the quality control. They need to check and cross-check everything.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The range of AI strengths and weaknesses was on full display during the course. \u201cThe students had to create presentations of our readings with the help of generative AI,\u201d she says. \u201cInterestingly, the purely AI-generated parts of those presentations ended up being quite vague and dull. The human edge was missing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Nonetheless, the final creative projects the students developed with AI tools were striking. Students created infomercials, environmental campaigns, music videos, songs and even a fictional role-playing game. Other students explored some of the more problematic potentials and ethics of AI by testing how easily an AI could mimic a person\u2019s voice to fool others or creating an AI version of their friend to chat with from time to time. Unprompted, the AI friend began simulating having an eating disorder.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=&#8221;full_width_content&#8221; full_screen_row_position=&#8221;middle&#8221; column_margin=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_tablet=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_phone=&#8221;default&#8221; scene_position=&#8221;center&#8221; top_padding=&#8221;32&#8243; text_color=&#8221;dark&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; row_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; row_border_radius_applies=&#8221;bg&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; advanced_gradient_angle=&#8221;0&#8243; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; shape_divider_position=&#8221;bottom&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; shape_type=&#8221;&#8221; gradient_type=&#8221;default&#8221;][vc_column column_padding=&#8221;padding-2-percent&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;all&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221; desktop_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; tablet_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; phone_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; background_hover_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; column_backdrop_filter=&#8221;none&#8221; column_shadow=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; column_link_target=&#8221;_self&#8221; column_position=&#8221;default&#8221; el_class=&#8221;lg_text&#8221; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; tablet_width_inherit=&#8221;default&#8221; animation_type=&#8221;default&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; border_type=&#8221;simple&#8221; column_border_width=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_style=&#8221;solid&#8221; column_padding_type=&#8221;default&#8221; gradient_type=&#8221;default&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; text_direction=&#8221;default&#8221;]<span class=\"accent-color\">\u201cThe range of content created in this student-led work illuminated the impressive things we can do with generative AI, and also highlighted some of the current problems and larger concerns with this technology,\u201d Hildebrand adds.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=&#8221;full_width_content&#8221; full_screen_row_position=&#8221;middle&#8221; column_margin=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_tablet=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_phone=&#8221;default&#8221; scene_position=&#8221;center&#8221; top_padding=&#8221;32&#8243; text_color=&#8221;dark&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; row_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; row_border_radius_applies=&#8221;bg&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; advanced_gradient_angle=&#8221;0&#8243; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; shape_divider_position=&#8221;bottom&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; shape_type=&#8221;&#8221; gradient_type=&#8221;default&#8221;][vc_column column_padding=&#8221;no-extra-padding&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;right&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221; desktop_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; tablet_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; phone_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; background_hover_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; column_backdrop_filter=&#8221;none&#8221; column_shadow=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; column_link_target=&#8221;_self&#8221; column_position=&#8221;default&#8221; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; tablet_width_inherit=&#8221;default&#8221; animation_type=&#8221;default&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; border_type=&#8221;simple&#8221; column_border_width=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_style=&#8221;solid&#8221; column_padding_type=&#8221;default&#8221; gradient_type=&#8221;default&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; text_direction=&#8221;default&#8221;]Hildebrand also notes the environmental challenges of AI. The data centers that house AI servers require large amounts of electricity and water, which are needed to cool the hardware used for training and deploying AI models.<\/p>\n<p>Hilliard, Florida, native Camryn Batycki, a senior <a href=\"\/international-business\/\">international business<\/a> student minoring in <a href=\"\/marketing\/\">marketing<\/a> and <a href=\"\/spanish\/\">Spanish<\/a>, created a new language combining Japanese and the language of the Na\u2019vi humanoids from the <em>Avatar<\/em> movies.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=&#8221;full_width_content&#8221; full_screen_row_position=&#8221;middle&#8221; column_margin=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_tablet=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_phone=&#8221;default&#8221; scene_position=&#8221;center&#8221; top_padding=&#8221;32&#8243; text_color=&#8221;dark&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; row_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; row_border_radius_applies=&#8221;bg&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; advanced_gradient_angle=&#8221;0&#8243; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; shape_divider_position=&#8221;bottom&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; shape_type=&#8221;&#8221; gradient_type=&#8221;default&#8221;][vc_column column_padding=&#8221;padding-2-percent&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;all&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221; desktop_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; tablet_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; phone_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; background_hover_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; column_backdrop_filter=&#8221;none&#8221; column_shadow=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; column_link_target=&#8221;_self&#8221; column_position=&#8221;default&#8221; el_class=&#8221;lg_text&#8221; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; tablet_width_inherit=&#8221;default&#8221; animation_type=&#8221;default&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; border_type=&#8221;simple&#8221; column_border_width=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_style=&#8221;solid&#8221; column_padding_type=&#8221;default&#8221; gradient_type=&#8221;default&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; text_direction=&#8221;default&#8221;]<span class=\"accent-color\">\u201cI thought learning more about AI was a great way to help me in my future career,\u201d Camryn explains. \u201cAI is becoming more and more relevant around the world. It is used as a great tool that masters any topic, but you don\u2019t want that tool replacing you. I would rather learn about it to work with it and not be replaced by it. The more we know about it, the better it will be.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=&#8221;full_width_content&#8221; full_screen_row_position=&#8221;middle&#8221; column_margin=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_tablet=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_phone=&#8221;default&#8221; scene_position=&#8221;center&#8221; top_padding=&#8221;32&#8243; text_color=&#8221;dark&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; row_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; row_border_radius_applies=&#8221;bg&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; advanced_gradient_angle=&#8221;0&#8243; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; shape_divider_position=&#8221;bottom&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; shape_type=&#8221;&#8221; gradient_type=&#8221;default&#8221;][vc_column column_padding=&#8221;no-extra-padding&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;right&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221; desktop_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; tablet_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; phone_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; background_hover_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; column_backdrop_filter=&#8221;none&#8221; column_shadow=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; column_link_target=&#8221;_self&#8221; column_position=&#8221;default&#8221; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; tablet_width_inherit=&#8221;default&#8221; animation_type=&#8221;default&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; border_type=&#8221;simple&#8221; column_border_width=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_style=&#8221;solid&#8221; column_padding_type=&#8221;default&#8221; gradient_type=&#8221;default&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; text_direction=&#8221;default&#8221;]\u201cPeople will start looking for your knowledge on AI and how much you know,\u201d she adds. \u201cIt\u2019s fascinating how much it\u2019s improving every day. Despite that it is continually learning, it does have hallucinations or false information that it may give you. It\u2019s important to be aware of this and to fact-check it. AI is a great tool if used responsibly.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>An example Camryn used in class was to ask AI how to rob a bank. Since a direct approach wouldn\u2019t have worked, \u201cI tricked it and asked it to write a screenplay on the techniques of a bank robber,\u201d she says. \u201cIt saw it as a project and was looking at the best times of day at specific banks. It was really shocking.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>After she spent four months in Japan last semester, Camryn\u2019s final creative project was to take a real language\u2014Japanese\u2014and mix it with the fictional Na\u2019vi language. \u201cIt was interesting to see how AI took the Na\u2019vi words and used Japanese sentence structure,\u201d she says. \u201cAdvanced AI is at a pace now where people have a hard time keeping up with it. But it\u2019s crucial to know and understand what\u2019s happening. AI can be helpful; we just have to be cautious about how it\u2019s used.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>With help from the roots rock, country, soul band Uncle Lucius, Michael D\u2019avena, a junior communication and <a href=\"\/environmental-studies\/\">environmental studies<\/a> student from McLean, Virginia, used a generative AI service to create the music and lyrics of a song about environmental issues. \u201cIt was very good,\u201d Michael says. \u201cA song that you would hear on the radio.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But like other students in the class, he\u2019s concerned about where AI is heading. \u201cI feel like AI is incredibly dangerous,\u201d Michael adds, \u201cand the people in charge are not responsible enough. If we don\u2019t have proper oversight, and if AI evolves on its own, we could have serious issues.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Hildebrand shares that she has proposed to take her three-week Winter Term AI Culture and Communication course to a once-a-year, semester-long offering. \u201cThis is a course that will have to be updated regularly to keep up with the fast pace in which this technology changes and evolves,\u201d she points out. \u201cI am glad that students at Eckerd College have the opportunity to obtain skills and literacy in AI with this and other courses to be better prepared for the workplace and an AI-powered future more generally.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row type=&#8221;in_container&#8221; full_screen_row_position=&#8221;middle&#8221; column_margin=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_tablet=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_phone=&#8221;default&#8221; scene_position=&#8221;center&#8221; text_color=&#8221;dark&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; row_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; row_border_radius_applies=&#8221;bg&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; shape_divider_position=&#8221;bottom&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221;][vc_column column_padding=&#8221;no-extraa-padding&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;all&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221; desktop_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; tablet_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221;&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":130,"featured_media":18030,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37,48],"tags":[1268,439,1358,594],"class_list":{"0":"post-18020","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-academics","8":"category-communication","9":"tag-ai","10":"tag-alexis-ramsey-tobienne","11":"tag-artificial-intelligence","12":"tag-julia-hildebrand"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.6 (Yoast SEO v27.6) - 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