Thanks to everyone who joined the “ChatGPT – Opportunity or Threats?” event hosted by itag and the School of Computer Science at the University of Galway. I think you will a agree that Dr. James McDermott gave a very insightful lecture and the panel debate on “ChatGPT: Opportunity or Threat?” was very thought provoking.
Demonstrating that ChatGPT is, in fact, both an opportunity and a threat, though perhaps not in the ways you might expect.
Key Takeaways
Large Language Models, which are used in ChatGPT technology, merely predict the next word; they do not actually comprehend what is being said. It is therefore not as clever as it first appears. Academic integrity has historically been a problem. A student who uses ChatGPT to complete a task is no different from one who uses a friend or pays someone to complete it. In order to effectively engage students and demonstrate their comprehension of the material, educators must continuously rework assessments.
We have always developed tools as a community to expedite or simplify tasks. If we become reliant on ChatGPT, our capacity for creative thought will be more at risk than our employment. As our need to acquire knowledge and keep it ourselves diminishes, a crucial element in problem-solving and ingenuity.
We unconsciously absorb information and develop biases from all types of material. ChatGPT has the ability to be extremely destructive politically and ethically.
As a result, it will need to be governed. It all comes down to us as humans and how we use technology for good rather than for bad.
Overall, the event highlighted the complex nature of the impact of ChatGPT on our society and education system. It is clear that it presents both opportunities and threats, and it is up to us to navigate these challenges responsibly as we continue to develop and utilise these technologies. Thank you again to all who participated in this insightful and though-provoking conversation.
Thanks to our guest speaker Dr James McDermott, University of Galway our panel moderator Gerry Carty, Avaya and panellists Prof Michael Madden, University of Galway, Fiona Veazey, Fidelity Investments, Dr Natalia Resende, University of Galway and Dr Maciej Dabrowski, Genesys
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