Dear Faculty, Staff, Alumni and Friends,
Although artificial intelligence (AI) has been developing for a while, the recent past has seen a dramatic increase in its capabilities and a concurrent increase in discussion and concerns about what kind of world might be in store both in the near term and long term, when AI has capabilities we cannot fully imagine at present.
Policy questions on AI
November saw a particular confluence of this conversation both within the College of Arts and Humanities and beyond. Earlier this semester, the department chairs in CAH discussed extensively whether it would be helpful to formulate a College-wide policy on the use of AI in the classroom and coursework generally. Ultimately, the decision was that not only the College, but also academic departments, should refrain from adopting a general policy and leave such matters to the discretion of individual faculty members.
Early in November, I visited the annual meeting of the Council for Colleges of Arts and Sciences (CCAS), a gathering of deans from around the country to network and catch up on the latest trends, issues, and ways of addressing problems at peer institutions. AI was again a hot topic. Several fellow deans shared what they have been doing on campus, what is working and what is not. Conclusion: AI is here; it is unavoidable; ignoring or trying to deny it is pointless.
Student responses to AI
So, it comes as no surprise that the student editors of our humanities and social studies journal, The Aurantiaco, decided to make AI the focus of their third annual Fall symposium. Last year, you might recall, they invited Stanford political theorist, Francis Fukuyama, to give a talk and meet with students. This year, the format was three scholarly panels with Clemson faculty representing several fields and colleges. Philosophy Professor Quinn Gibson represented CAH on one of the panels, as did Nathan McNeese, McQueen Quattlebaum Endowed Professor of Human-Centered Computing, the founding director of Clemson University Center for Human-AI Interaction, Collaboration, and Teaming. Both scholars expressed concern for the potential dumbing down of humans if they become overly dependent on using AI as a surrogate for learning to read, write and, by extension, think.
Given the above, it was fascinating to experience two countercurrents to the widespread anxiety about the future. First was our Writing Lab’s final report for the 2024-25 academic year. Against all expectations, student use of the Writing Lab to help with their writing skills has been increasing steadily since COVID and, last year, smashed all previous records. Clearly, ChatGPT has so far not replaced students’ investment in their writing skills!
The AI theme also dominated the November meeting of my Dean’s Undergraduate Student Advisory Council (DUSAC). Each year, we have a new group with approximately one student representing each of our majors in the college, with a couple of returning members for continuity. What surprised and pleased me was the degree to which our current students are concerned with honing their own cognitive abilities and that of their peers, and worried about the potentially corrosive effects of AI. It gave me tremendous hope for the future to hear how thoughtfully they spoke and how careful they are about blindly embracing the new technology.
Season’s greetings
As we approach the end of the calendar year, I want to wish everyone associated with the College health and well-being during the holiday season and into the New Year. Please take time to reconnect meaningfully with friends and loved ones, and take time for yourselves also, to reflect quietly on the past year, take stock of where you are now, and to imagine your goals for the time that lies ahead.
Go Tigers!
Nicholas Vazsonyi
Dean
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