AI ethics is important in every field that we are. Not just in academics but in our future as well, because that can impact on our carrer or personal life. Having AI do your job or your work when it’s not supposed to shows immorality and inability. Besides, a work done by AI and by a human is different in so many ways. However, it can be very useful to help with long research and demanding jobs, where AI would be allowed to use in a certain way.

In this week, I learned a lot about AI Ethics and how it “behaves”, but the most interesting thing I learned was about AI bias. Although AI develops by training and getting lots of data, some of them may be poorly trained and demonstrate bias against minorities. Since I don’t have much experience with AI, I never noticed that happening but, thinking about the way it is made and developed by human interactions in a way, it makes sense that it reflects wathever our society is currently.

resource: AI Ethics: What It Is And Why It Matters

I think the most surprising thing I learned during the last AI lab was how AI has advanced or evolved within such a short span of time. Particularly, large language models (LLMs) have progressed very rapidly. I think OpenAI was able to ignite the idea at a mass level, and now we see different companies developing their own AI models. From Elon Musk’s xAI to Google’s Gemini, Perplexity, and many more, AI has become a competitive field.

A couple of years ago, when I used to read stories and predictions about AI, I wondered how it was going to work. But now, I feel it’s no longer just a concept or a futuristic function—it’s reality. When I was a kid, I imagined a car or a house where I could think, and it would automatically function, similar to Iron Man’s J.A.R.V.I.S. Today, we see automated cars powered by AI, running without human intervention.

Recently, I was astounded by the discovery of stem cells that can significantly boost human lifespan—an innovation achieved with AI. A few years ago, Elon Musk’s Neuralink chip technology seemed like a rumor, but now we see a chip interacting with the human brain, helping visually impaired or physically disabled individuals live more independent lives. It’s beyond imagination.

In the lab, I also discovered Perplexity and how it helps find research papers. One major perspective that changed my mind was how AI has evolved from giving useless answers to providing more accurate, factual, and evidence-based responses. AI is evolving and will continue to transform our lives and the way we think.

However, I am concerned about the ethical implications. AI can be biased based on its training data and its trainers. We saw examples in class, such as China’s DeepSeek refusing to answer China-related questions. AI will likely be used as a tool for social control and as a weapon by governments or powerful corporations. I believe those who lead AI advancements will shape our future. All I want is for AI to be used ethically and responsibly.

References

• Neuralink’s Brain Implant Helps Paralyzed Man Control Computer – The Guardian
• China’s DeepSeek AI Censorship Concerns – The Guardian
• Advancements in AI Models and Competition – New York Post
• Breakthrough in AI-Discovered Stem Cell Therapy for Longevity – MIT Technology Review
• Ethical Concerns in AI Bias and Control – Wired

When thinking about the ethical issues involved in AI before this class, the first things that came to my mind used to be the invasion of privacy (e.g., usage of personal data or surveillance systems), displacement of humans in various jobs (e.g., in data entry/analysis), and issues of plagiarism (i.e., using AI tools to create work without giving credit).

This week’s lectures, the class readings, and discussions with peers have all taught me that the ethical issues of AI are far more wide-reaching and complex. What I did not know before, and thus what really struck me, was the fact that one single search on an LLM like ChatGPT takes up an entire bottle of water. (Coincidentally, a friend of mine posted this on her Instagram this week: https://www.instagram.com/zerowastestore/reel/DHB4s3UyIX0/). As we learned in the article by Bender et al. (2021), the people who suffer the most from the negative environmental consequences of LLMs are usually those who benefit the least from their progress, thus highlighting the intersectionality of ethical issues in LLMs.

After class, I continued my reflection on potential areas of conflict. One area we haven’t really discussed yet but that certainly is of relevance too is the use of AI for providing psycho-social support, such as in psychological counseling and perhaps even as a replacement for social and romantic relationships. This is an area of AI use that surfaced a long time ago in many utopian or dystopian movies (e.g., Her, 2013) but, as a quick online search shows, no longer just exists in movies.

Several articles (e.g., Ping, 2024) have investigated the use of AI technology, such as AI chatbots, in psychological counseling. Scholars have also examined the potential of AI for social and romantic relationships, focusing, for example, on how people can have meaningful relationships with chatbots (e.g., Pan & Mou, 2024). Considering that we live in a world in which individuals seem to increasingly prioritize self-fulfillment over (romantic) relationships, this area of AI seems particularly interesting to me.

With the last ChatGPT update, I have noticed that the chatbot has become more personal, for instance, by using smileys and asking questions like, “Let me know if I can help you with x or y….”

• What do you think about the use of AI in areas like counseling or as a replacement for or addition to social relationships?
• Do you use neutral or friendly language when engaging with an AI chatbot?

I’m looking forward to hearing your opinions on this topic! 🙂

Sources:

• Bender, E. M., McMillan-Major, A., Gebru, T., & Shmitchell, S. (2021). On the dangers of stochastic parrots: Can language models be too big? Proceedings of the 2021 ACM Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency (FAccT ’21), 610–623. https://doi.org/10.1145/3442188.3445922
• Her. IMBD. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1798709/
• Pan, S., & Mou, Y. (2024). Constructing the meaning of human–AI romantic relationships from the perspectives of users dating the social chatbot Replika. Personal Relationships, 31(3), 1090–1112.https://doi.org/10.1111/pere.12572
• Ping, Y. (2024). Experience in psychological counseling supported by artificial intelligence technology. Technology and Health Care, 32(6), 3871–3888. https://doi.org/10.3233/THC-230809

Hello Everyone,

know it’s a bit late, but I’d like to introduce myself. My name is Nehal Rafin (He/Him), and I’m a freshman originally from Bangladesh. Currently, I’m undecided and exploring my field of interest. As a person, I like to understand and explore different topics, from quantum physics to religion, which makes me a learner of a broader and diverse group of topics. I think I have many hobbies, but something I discovered after coming to college was my love for cooking, especially Bangladeshi cuisine.

I was initially interested in this class because I feel AI is our future, and I want to contribute to this field. Fun fact: I used to play a game called “Rise of Nations,” developed by Microsoft. It’s a strategy game that shows how civilization has evolved. Although I played it 10 years ago, it predicted the era of AI. It’s very interesting to see a prediction from a game becoming reality. I think AI is going to change our lives and our world. We have already started to see the influence of AI in our lives, but I want this era to be a testimony to a moral and ethical world where all humans are treated with their proper right to dignity.

While finding materials for my group’s research, I came across an interesting article titled “From Concerns to Benefits: A Comprehensive Study of ChatGPT Usage in Education.” The paper provides me with surprising insights about the self-learning capabilities of AI Chatbots. The author highlights that ChatGPT’s self-learning features significantly improve students’ ability to acquire and apply knowledge, which means that as students interact with ChatGPT, the AI can adapt and improve its responses over time, providing a more personalized and efficient learning experience. By giving personalized academic support, this learning feature has the potential to transform traditional methods of learning.

For example, whenever I try to use AI to discuss a topic, I always tend to create a conversation like talking to a real person. There will be greetings, or even thanks when the AI gives answers. I try this because I always have a hunch that when I talk closely with AI, the quality of the discussions will be more positive with higher quality as well as creating a habit of talking for myself. That is something I found out which was quite interesting in my progress of learning more about AI.

References

Hyeon Jo. (2024). From Concerns to Benefits: A Comprehensive Study of ChatGPT Usage in Education. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 21. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-024-00471-4

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AI isn’t as neutral as we think. Today’s research lab showed how deeply human biases are embedded in AI systems. It made me reflect on my own experiences as a Black woman navigating spaces not built for me. If we want technology to be fair and just, we need diverse voices shaping its future.