9 Comments
User's avatar
B Keck's avatar

I’ve been teaching high school English for 34 years; between the smartphone and now AI, nothing has put authentic learning in more jeopardy. As for cheating, I agree that more handwritten essays will help mitigate AI’s influence — somewhat. But AI does more than allow students to plagiarize quickly and efficiently; it subverts the entire learning process. As with so many other aspects of modern life — law enforcement, journalism, human creativity — I fear AI’s nefarious influence has only just begun.

Expand full comment
Terry Cowgill's avatar

Barth, great point about the larger implications. Subverting the entire learning process differentiates AI from something simpler from another era such as Cliffs Notes, which now seems like a quaint notion.

Expand full comment
Richard Noble's avatar

Does that mean my Mason jar replete with pennies might become more valuable as the pesky little one cent Honest Abe homages become rarer and rarer? Or should I just roll them up and take them to the bank for maybe six paper dollars and a smattering of nickels, dimes, and quarters?

Really nice piece by the way. I applaud those judges who have tossed badly written AI created briefs from lazy lawyers.

Expand full comment
Terry Cowgill's avatar

Nick, reminds me of another use for pennies: pour thousands of them into a sock and you have a lethal weapon. And if you use it and get in trouble, ask Chat GPT to come up with a good defense.

Expand full comment
Anthony Vassallo's avatar

Not the Orange Rage Machine but the Orange RAPE Machine

Expand full comment
Terry Cowgill's avatar

That works too, though it is infinitely more depressing!

Expand full comment
Sharon Davis's avatar

Great article, Terry--many interesting thoughts, well-expressed, as per usual.

Hope your PT and healing is continuing apace.

Can't close this out though, without a shout out to those "fully dressed " Canadian hot dogs. There isn't a whole lot of difference between a Canadian hot dog and Chicago hot dog. I've really been slumming it with only ketchup, mustard, relish, sauerkraut, and that weird onion sauce that RFK Jr will probably find is radioactive.

Expand full comment
Terry Cowgill's avatar

Thanks Sharon. I continue to heal slowly but surely. The hip is fine but it’s the pulled muscles in the butt and nerve pain and swelling in the legs that are complicating matters. It looks like the only difference between all dressed hot dogs in the two cities is Chicago uses sauerkraut and Montrealers prefer Cole slaw. I’ve never been a fan of sauerkraut so here we come Montreal!

Expand full comment
Sharon Davis's avatar

Either way--shredded cabbage!!

Hang in there, Terry--I know--easier said than done. You are making progress. Sending rapid recovery thoughts your way.

Expand full comment