Generative AI has powerful applications as a source for knowledge acquisition, as it can be used quickly and coherently to produce text outputs on almost any subject.
Many generative AI models are also capable of producing efficient code in the programming language of a user’s choice or assessing the viability of pre-written code.
The wide availability of these models is something with which academic institutions have already had to grapple in the past year alone. Tools such as ChatGPT put traditional assessment methods such as written coursework or take-home exams at risk, but also act as powerful assistants for computing students looking to improve their programming skills.
In this episode Jane is joined by Prashanth Chandrasekar, CEO of Stack Overflow, to discuss how AI can change education and digital innovation.
Highlights
“If you look at the number of applications of computing courses by 18-year-olds in the UK, that's risen over nine and a half percent since last year. So it's the seventh most popular course to study according to the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). I remember that from my undergrad days. And I think they've suggested that young students, high school students, and secondary education students are increasingly inspired by AI.”
“The other approach would be to say you know what, just use it completely. Use it because it's free, you have access to it, so it's like using a calculator in your final exam. You know, when that happened, when I first experienced it, I was like, ‘Wow, I can't believe they're allowing us to use a calculator’.”
“From my standpoint at least in this phase of where we are, I can't predict what's to come 10 years from now, but certainly where we are at the moment it feels that people should continue to learn the fundamentals so they can understand what's being built even if it’s being automated away and generated.”
Footnotes
- Record computing degree applications driven by AI interest, says BCS
- A-level results 2023: What’s driving the uptake in computing degrees?
- What is ChatGPT and what does it mean for businesses?
- Over-reliance on ChatGPT could harm worker performance
- Developers more likely to introduce security vulnerabilities in code when using AI assistants
- ChatGPT gives wrong answers to programming questions more than 50% of the time
- Stack Overflow temporarily bans ChatGPT from platform
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