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The guilty pleasure of most students nowadays is using Al for studying purposes. Not only to write essays and papers but also to answer questions or even get help with coding problems. With one input question, the system writes a complete answer. I have used chatGPT in the past for a Python course to help me find creative ways to solve my coding problems. The use of AI can be very beneficial for students. AI assists in structuring essays by recommending the appropriate introduction, body, and conclusion. Also, AI can suggest relevant ideas and themes, facilitating research and idea generation for essays and research papers. Additionally, AI provides real-time feedback on grammar, spelling, and style, helping students improve their writing skills and produce error-free compositions (AIwhisperer, 2022).

However, this might be too good to be true. In the latest research on how to cheat on your final paper, it was claimed that students did not evaluate the use of AI for writing a paper as easier (Fyfe, 2022). The students discovered that this was not easy at all. Around 87% reported that it became far more complicated than just writing the paper themselves. They had to keep giving chatGPT “a shove in the right direction”. Besides that, AI presented false statements and even quoted non-existent experts in the essay (Fyfe, 2022).

Another negative aspect of using AI is that students might become overly dependent on AI tools, potentially hindering the development of their critical thinking and writing skills (AIwhisperer, 2022). The whole process of learning involves learning to think for yourself and making mistakes to learn from. Even though it is super useful and easy in many ways, isn’t it limiting our own abilities in the long run? An important question you could ask is whether using AI during studying is actually valuable or are you just fooling yourself? Looking at the older generations, their learning process took way more effort. Going to the library, searching for the right information, and reading books. They were very much forced to learn and grow. I would like to know your opinion on this subject. 

Let me know in the comments. 

Fyfe, P. (2022). How to cheat on your final paper: Assigning AI for student writing. AI & SOCIETY, 1-11.

AIwhisperer, T. (2022). How students are using artificial intelligence to write essays. medium. https://medium.com/@JimTheAIWhisperer/how-students-are-using-ai-to-write-essays-2d5ee187385c

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A year ago, you might have felt lost if your idol had passed away because you just couldn’t get enough of their voice. AI, however, made it possible this year to use their unique voice for any covered song. Imagine Dua Lipa’s song potion being performed by a deceased performer Whitney Housten. 

AI algorithms have been used to create many music-related things like lyrics, compose music, and even help musicians with their creative processes (Gulen, 2023). However, the idea of using AI to imitate the voices of musicians raises the bar for AI and music collaboration. This is a completely new aspect of AI. Any artist’s voice can sing any song using AI cover. To do so two popular options MusicAI cover and Voicify are being used. This AI generates a cover or similar version of a song that has already been produced (Wodecki, 2023). 

The technology behind AI-generated cover songs is a combination of deep learning algorithms, voice synthesis, and extensive datasets. The AI programs examine hours of artists’ recorded interviews, songs, and performances to replicate their voices. These datasets are then used to train a neural network capable of mimicking the artist’s vocal nuances, pitch, tone, and unique timbre. The result is an AI-generated voice that closely resembles the artist’s original (Wodecki, 2023). This makes many things possible like unique collaborations between living artists and musical artists from the past. 

Even while it sounds like fun, there are still some drawbacks, such as the fact that artists are no longer the owners of their voices, and the quality of the AI-created songs might not be as good as it was. Critics argue that AI-generated songs lack a sense of authentic emotional depth and artistic intent that human artists bring to their work (Carter, 2023). AI might not replace the whole process of making music. Also to appropriately pay artists, estates, and AI developers, ownership and licensing rights for AI-generated cover songs must be made clear (Carter, 2023). 

What do you think of this new invention? Let me know in the comments.

Gulen, K. (2023, septemeber). How to make AI-crafted songs with Covers AI. Data economy. https://dataconomy.com/2023/09/13/what-is-covers-ai-and-how-to-use-it/

Wodecki, B. (2023, july). AI Covers Flood YouTube: Creativity or Controversy? AI business. https://aibusiness.com/ml/ai-covers-flood-youtube-creativity-or-controversy-#

Carter, G. (2023, March). AI Generated Music – The Future Of The Fall Of Creativity? Music gateway. https://www.musicgateway.com/blog/music-production/ai-generated-music-the-future-of-the-fall-of-creativity#:~:text=The%20main%20disadvantage%20of%20AI ,music%20created%20by%20a%20human.

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Something that seems as crazy as time travailing has become a reality. Due to a new technology, where the brain and technology are connected, the brain can interact with an actual computer. The first wireless computer commands have been exhibited in development for paralyzed individuals. Researchers at Brown University claim that the technology can transmit brain impulses with “single-neuron resolution and in full broadband fidelity.” (Cuthbertson, 2021).

Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) can read and write information to the brain. Invasive BCIs link microscopic electrodes to neurons to track their activity. Neuralink and other invasive BCIs need to be implanted in the brain during brain surgery, which also involves using high-precision surgery robots to correctly attach the electrodes to the neurons (Golembiewski, 2020). 

BCIs provide benefits for people with disabilities. For example, it allows paralyzed people to control the prosthetic limbs with their minds. Also, deaf, muted, and blind people can hear, talk, and see again (RF Wireless World, 2022). It is expected that with this technology things become possible for people in their ordinary life as well such as people being able to communicate telepathically, replay dreams and memories, or completely submerge themselves in a virtual entertainment experience (Golembiewski, 2020). 

This sounds promising and exited, but this all may come at a high price. Can our brains be hacked? The answer is probably yes. For example, a wireless connection via Bluetooth can easily be hacked. If computers can wireless read minds, thoughts, and feelings they can be hacked as well (Hazelager, 2022). For this reason, thinking about the possible risks and providing strict privacy regulations are mandatory to prevent abuse. 

Knowing that something like brain hacking could happen in the future, can bring tricky situations as no privacy is preserved. The idea that your thoughts and feelings are out in the open sounds scary to me. Honesty will be the only option, which can cause interesting conversations. Knowing what the other person thinks and feels can be enlightening yet painful. I am curious how communication between people would change. I think it is a nice development and I think that we should currently reap the benefits of the development for the people who need it most. For the time being, using this development in daily life does not add much value, as it entails a lot of privacy risks. 

Reviews

Cuthbertson A., 2021. Scientists connect human brain to computer wirelessly for first time ever. Independent.

Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/brain-computer-interface-braingate-b1825971.html

Golembiewski L., 2020. Are You Ready for Tech That Connects to Your Brain? Havard Business Review.

Available at: https://hbr.org/2020/09/are-you-ready-for-tech-that-connects-to-your-brain

RF Wireless World. 2022. Advantages of Brain Computer Interface | disadvantages of Brain Computer Interface. RF Wireless World.

Available at: https://www.rfwireless-world.com/Terminology/Advantages-and-Disadvantages-of-Brain-Computer-Interface.html

Hazelager P, 2022. Episode 447. “Kan je brein geheckt worden in de toekomst?” (Translated: “Can your brain be hacked in the future?”) Universiteit van Nederland Podcast. Available at: Apple Podcasts.

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OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company that creates multiple AI models that serve all kinds of purposes. To give an example, an algorithm that writes an entire essay with only one or two sentences as input (Beta OpenAI, 2022).  

Their latest finding was DALLE 2 which is available since April 2022. This new AI system can create unique and realistic images from a description in natural language using 100 percent AI. All the created images never existed before. If the input is for example “An award-winning professional photo of a smiling marmot skiing in the Alps in winter” DALLE 2 returns the following photos below (OpenAI, 2022). 

The CLIP language model, which is used by DALL.E2, enables connections between images and text descriptions. DALL.E2 begins to provide a rudimentary intermediate solution that, according to CLIP, includes the key visual elements of the text description. The intermediate solution is then enhanced by DALL.E2 using a diffusion model until the image completely complies with the CLIP description. Diffusion models are “image enhancers” that learn to recreate the original image by first adding random pixels to images during training (OpenAI, 2022).

DALL.2 surpasses systems that produce deep fake images. The system appears to comprehend the links between items. For the first time ever, this enables the meaningful combination of various concepts (such as marmot, skiing, Alps) in an image. The system can also be used to edit existing images (Arnold V, 2022).

To get the most out of the system a very clean and detailed explanation is required. The system can be used for many purposes. For example, to visualize an idea such as the architecture of a building or a movie set. But it can also create designs like wall art or a cover of an album. The photos are unique and of high-quality (Arnold V, 2022). Some are even more beautiful than any professional photographer can shoot. Besides that, it can adjust existing photos.  Because everything is possible in the photos abuse of the system can have negative consequences. Therefore, rules are set like no content including nudity, faces, politics, or violence (Arnold V, 2022).

Personally, I think this new system is interesting and smart. It has a lot of potentials to create value for multiple purposes. However, I am curious about the long-term impact it will have. Is the future of professional photographers questioned? are artists becoming redundant?

References

Arnold V. (2022). DALL-E 2: The new text to image generator by OpenAI. Neuroflash. https://neuroflash.com/blog/dalle-2-open-ai/

Beta OpenAI (2022). Essay outline. Beta OpenAI. https://beta.openai.com/examples/default-essay-outline

OpenAI (2022). DALL·E 2 is a new AI system that can create realistic images and art from a description in natural language. OpenAI

https://openai.com/dall-e-2/

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https://openai.com/dall-e-2/

https://openai.com/dall-e-2/