AI Unleashed: Exploring the Frontiers of Generative Intelligence with OpenAI

At the recent Emerging Technologies Consortium's Generative AI series, Columbia University's esteemed researchers, administrators, and policy researchers from OpenAI discuss the potential of generative AI tools to transform education for the better, exploring their practical uses and profound influence on teaching, learning, research, and the broader societal landscape.

Agenda Highlights

• Welcome from Maneesha Aggarwal, AVP of Academic, Emerging Technologies & Research Services at Columbia University Information Technology.
• Opening remarks from Gaspare LoDuca, Chief Information Officer and Vice President of Information Technology, Columbia University Information Technology.
• Columbia Law School Presentation by Frantz Merine, Chief Information Officer of Columbia Law School; Luis Bello, Deputy Chief Information Officer of Columbia Law School; Basem Aly, Assistant Director of Instructional Technology of Columbia Law School.
• Computer Music Center presentation by Seth Cluett, Director of Computer Music Center at Columbia
• OpenAI presentation by Lama A., Policy Research Program Manager of OpenAI
• Roundtable Panel with Columbia University and OpenAI

Click the arrow to tune in to the webinar on Panopto for easy navigation of the video and locate the content topic.

OpenAI discusses how its models, particularly chatgpt, can be used for educational purposes such as designing lessons, designing quizzes, and providing assignment feedback. OpenAI's policy researchers focus on the societal impacts of AI and believe that it is essential for educators, policymakers, and technology companies to work together in designing standards for safe and helpful AI systems that can be integrated into education.

The Columbia Law School community presents the current use cases of generative AI tools in improving information literacy skills by asking better questions and engaging in reflective conversations. They see chatgpt as a Socratic engine that can help clarify and sharpen arguments or points of view, leading to a potential Renaissance in humanities and social sciences.

In music education, computational music-making is not a new concept. The relationship to chatgpt is the idea that a computer is a tool that provides the raw material humans can shape. Cluett sees generative AI as potential collaborators, revolutionizing how musicians make music rather than replacing human creativity.

The panel confers AI's potential risks, questioning whether further development should be paused until society is better equipped to handle the consequences. Panelists believe that a full pause is impractical and undesirable, and there are already specific use cases where AI can improve processes without causing harm. OpenAI emphasizes the need to consider ethical and societal implications before deploying AI models and implementing measures to mitigate risks during the development stage.

The potential of AI to curate vast amounts of content and provide targeted educational resources to learners is significant. Still, there is a need to address negative consequences and limitations in detecting AI-created work versus original work. Collaboration with companies like OpenAI and positively framed assignments that promote responsible technology use can help address these issues. The following conversation focuses on integrating chatgpt into higher education to enhance student learning and engagement, with concerns about academic integrity and ethical considerations. 

The conversation concludes with how educators can use AI tools for more efficient assessments. The panels discussed the need for educators to shift their assessment paradigm and not rely solely on submitted work but assess knowledge and skills gained. They also note that different disciplines have different assessment methods and requirements. AI tools could benefit fields like law and medicine, where revisions and observations are critical to learning.

Emerging Technologies Consortium's mission is to empower faculty, research, and administrative members to utilize next-generation technologies to explore and develop new pedagogical strategies and research applications. The event highlights the successful collaboration between higher educational institutions and industry pioneers, bringing a diverse discussion and evaluation of emerging technologies impact on advancing research and pedagogy across a wide array of disciplines.

Please contact us about the emerging technology grant programs for the Columbia community or your interest in collaboration with our industry partners.