Abu Dhabi: A Korean student in Abu Dhabi has revealed how she uses ChatGPT as a private tutor, even as she has cautioned against the potential risks of co-existing in a world where Artificial Intelligence (AI) is an integral part.
Speaking to Gulf News, Hyeseon Seo, a Grade 9 student at GEMS American Academy – Abu Dhabi, said, “Many students, including myself, are using ChatGPT as an academic resource, and ChatGPT can function amazingly beneficially.”
Giving an example, she said when studying for an upcoming exam or assignment on a topic where students lack knowledge, ChatGPT can provide a shortcut to learning.
Better academic results
“It suggests some relevant websites or YouTube videos that explain the topic that the students have inputted to the ChatGPT for help. In addition, it also provides summarised information and data based on its analysed big data. These things support students to make better academic achievements just like a private tutor, only it is free and more time-saving,” she explained.
That’s not all.
As Seo continued, “ChatGPT can play the role of a private tutor by providing feedback to users. To elaborate, it checks a students’ works such as written assignments or their ideas for presentation. Based on the grading criteria, ChatGPT can give the assumed scores and feedback from the teachers’ perspectives on how the students can improve their assignment.”
ChatGPT feedback
However, she has a clarification to make. “What matters is that ChatGPT can only give feedback or outline ideas for their work. Therefore, students must make sure to use their creativity and skills to finish assignments on their own with the ChatGPT’s tutor guidelines.”
Rapid innovations
Asked how comfortable she is with AI, she said, “That’s not easy to answer since there are lots of applications and functions. Some of them are familiar to me but some are not because AI is innovating at a very fast speed. I am trying to get used to employing new techniques but the speed of new technology is much faster than what a general user can manage.”
She said whether we like it or not, AI is impacting lives tremendously. “Between all the amazing AIs such as Bard (google) and more, ChatGPT (OpenAI) can engage in more human-like conversation. Through an interaction with ChatGPT that is no different than just talking with friends through Snapchat or DMs, it provides the information you need in just a few seconds by analysing data.”
We desperately need to be prepared in the world coexisting with AI. But don’t be under AI’s control.
Ready secretary
She explained how this is possible. “ChatGPT is trained with a massive amount of text data. Therefore, it enables users to use it as a secretary to help and answer whatever questions asked. In addition to using it as a private tutor to learn subjects or even get feedback on assignments - but no cheating - it can also it also help with creative outputs such as composing a song melody or lyrics. Honestly, there are so many more benefits. In fact, if you are not using ChatGPT, you are actually missing out on a lot of things. And it’s never too late to begin.”
Seo, who moved to the UAE from Korea in 2018, said, “I was 12 then. It’s only my fourth year living in Abu Dhabi now as I was back home for a year during the pandemic.”
Don’t be under AI’s control
As someone who grew up with technology all around her, she said it had shaped her childhood, her school experience, and the media she consumed. And now, ChatGPT was out to disrupt her future. In fact, at a recent TEDx talk held at her school, she spoke about the rise of AI and what it meant for her generation - and humanity at large.
“My TEDX speech conveyed the concept of the presence of AI and how it can be benefit but also harm people. Reason, she said, was its rapid development with global ethical regulations yet to keep pace. “It is a serious problem,” she said, adding that her Tedx sppech touched upon deep fakes, AI-generated photos, and the like.
Seo, who says there’s no denying the potential risks involved in the employment of AI, has a piece of advice: “We desperately need to be prepared in the world coexisting with AI. But don’t be under AI’s control.”
