AI’s threat to writing

Carsten Torgeson Staff Writer

The advent of artificial intelligence (AI)—specifically OpenAI’s Chat GPT—may improve the quality of life for some, but it is also a weighty source of concern for many others. Though its potential to streamline many menial tasks is certainly impressive, I fear that AI is swiftly becoming the preferred method of shortcutting what makes education worthwhile: the process of learning. It is natural to avoid unnecessary struggle, but eventually we must contend with the fact that struggle itself is the impetus for learning. By removing that struggle and allowing AI to take over some of the less interesting components of education, we may be ushering in an era of academic stagnation.

As I write this, I am well aware of my perspective as an English major. I likely have a greater-thanaverage appreciation for language and a simultaneous awareness of my major’s perceived inutility in the modern world. I concede that my perspective may be more pessimistic than is warranted. Undoubt- edly, AI is being used in creative and worthwhile ways. It is also true that even prior to the development of AI—which might make students feel that the skill of writing is not as important as it once was—the decline of the English major’s popularity was well documented.

Nevertheless, AI’s arrival should be cause for concern for more than just English majors. AI is threatening to take over the quintessentially important craft of basic writing. Already, students are using AI to write their essays—and they’re getting away with it. Additionally, Google has already developed a new AI for similar purposes, which has cheekily been named “Bard.” Google has no delusions about its AI’s role, and neither should we.

I recognize that not everyone can have the same appreciation for writing that English majors do. For students whose fondness for the study of English is average or even nonexistent, AI does not seem like a threat. Instead, it is a useful tool. I am not so much of an alarmist that I cannot recognize its potential for utility. In careful hands, we, in fact, can put AI to admirable use.

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They deserve recognition. And it isn’t just our proper varsity sports that are doing well, but also our club sports. Club men’s volleyball will soon be going to compete in their national tournament in April after becoming national champions last year. The CWRU rowing team has been competing at regional and national regattas all year and soon will be competing in the Mid-America Collegiate Rowing Association Championship regatta.

The CWRU rugby team also competes on a regional and national level. Last year, the club ice hockey team were playoff champions, and the club badminton and fencing teams both placed first place in their competitions.

The efforts our student athletes make day in and day out is worthy of acknowledgement and support as such, but going to games and following our teams can also improve our own college experiences. It is an understatement to say that CWRU cur- rently lacks school spirit. Without consistent widespread traditions, events and opportunities to rally together, we often don’t feel part of a cohesive community. However, by paying more attention to the efforts of our sports teams and creating a greater sports culture, we can have something that binds us all together and have pride in.

So start reading our Sports section. Start following our Spartan win streaks. Most importantly, start going to games. Both DiSanto Field and Nobby’s Ballpark are right next to the North Residential Village, and Horsburgh Gymnasium and the Veale Natatorium are right next to the South Residential Village, so you have no excuse. Scores and schedules are consistently posted both within The Observer’s print editions and at athletics.case.edu. We may never be the most sports-obsessed campus, but that doesn’t mean we can’t start taking pride in the CWRU name and our Spartans.

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