By Nicole Nieves, Penn State Journalilsm Major
I’ve never known a world without technology. I was born the same year as the Apple iPod mini was introduced – back in 2004. I grew up accompanied by the reassuring familiarity of the Internet, smartphones, and social media. I became comfortable with using and adapting to these technologies. The transition from writing on paper to typing on an iPad in high school was effortless. I imagined all the growing technology would bring an easy adjustment.
That is, until I was introduced to artificial intelligence.
A machine operating as a human is much harder to digest than the limited use of papers and pens. Initially, attempting to grasp and understand the responsibilities of AI was nothing short of pure curiosity. Though, after countless hours of intriguing conversation and deep research, I became intimidated by AI’s power.
At this time, I was a sophomore at Penn State University, sculpting my path to declare my official major and minor. As this is obviously a big decision to make, I actually thought it was an obvious decision from the get-go. I’ve always loved the communications field. I loved the freedom of expression that social media grants us with a simple click of a button. Sharing my stories and passions through social media platforms was a strong advantage that technology granted me. Yet, AI appeared to present to me anything but advantages.
Flashback to high school. Is there a new iPhone model? Cool. New headphones that introduce a noise-cancellation feature. Impressive. Back to the present day, I’ve participated in discussions with college students about how the simulation of human intelligence by a computer is daunting. Students like me grew concerned about the job market. Over half of the students I spoke to believed that AI threatens and limits job opportunities post-graduation. I believe this fear stems from AI’s role in saving us time and money, but it leaves questions about what roles are left for humans.
Yet, I learned with inspiration from a conversation with the brilliant Ms. Cindy Taylor that it’s all about perspective. For instance, sorting and folding laundry. A time-consuming task, but a task that an AI-powered robot can possibly take over. An interesting idea to grasp for sure, but not an unprecedented one. As AI continues to advance and perform more obstructive tasks, who knows what new doors will open for individuals with unlimited time?
Having declared my major in the journalism field, I realized that AI covers inconsequential tasks that will encourage me to pursue my creative passions. Journalism students at Penn State use AI to create and produce attention-grabbing graphics for written content in a matter of seconds. Also, we are encouraged to use ChatGPT to explore and expand on ideas through different assignments (while including proper citations, of course).
When used intentionally, AI is a strategic tool. When used to cheat, AI is a threat to academic integrity. I’ve observed that professors are more assertive and make it known that using AI for plagiarism is unacceptable. Every piece of work I’m assigned displays instructions encouraging or prohibiting AI without fail. Embracing AI’s capabilities, Penn State now offers a Master of Artificial Intelligence degree, which is a 33-credit online, interdisciplinary course master’s program to drive students to learn the drive and development of AI.
From transcribing interviews to generating story ideas, AI’s role is so influential in the writing field. Some honorable mentions include improved customer service, efficient data analysis, and enhanced productivity as well. AI is crucial in all fields of work to unlock an individual’s full potential in any sector. As I move on into my junior year of college, AI does not intimate me anymore. Instead, I learned to embrace AI’s positive impact on my field of study, integrated business, and global communication.
More information about Penn State’s master class, https://bulletins.psu.edu/graduate/programs/majors/artificial-intelligence/
Nicole Nieves is a social media intern for Digital Wealth News and a third-year undergraduate student at Penn State University, majoring in broadcast journalism with a minor in digital media trends & analytics. Nicole is currently training to produce newscasts, podcasts, manage social media content, and write stories. She is also a reporter for Penn State’s newspaper, The Daily Collegian, where she covers Penn State news and sports events.
