Munster debate students discuss AI at PNW event

Two teams of three students discussed whether the audience should regret the impact of generative AI on education. Proponents of the proposal argued that in order to accept AI’s shortcomings, improve it, and move forward, the technology’s negative impacts, including increased plagiarism rates, the creation of inequality, and the perpetuation of existing biases, needed to be deplored.

The opposing side argued that AI is a useful tool in education because it improves test preparation and helps produce better educational content, and that regret over its effects would have a chilling effect and deter people from wanting to use it.

Each student presented their argumentative speeches to an audience of approximately 80 PNW students, staff and local educators, with their fellow students on the other side occasionally standing to ask the speaker counter-intuitive questions designed to refute the other’s argument.

One of the debating students, Addison Ellis, said it was a wonderful experience debating at the university.

“It’s very rare that debates actually have an audience,” Ellis said. “The whole point of speeches and debates is the opportunity to present our thoughts to people where our voices actually influence them.”

Before the debate began, the audience was asked about their position on the proposal. The majority said they had no regrets about the impact of AI on education. However, at the end of the debate, the room’s opinion changed and agreed to the question.

The debate was part of PNW’s One Book, One University initiative, which aims to engage students, staff and residents by fostering a sense of community through reading a shared book. Typically the books and discussions revolve around current topics and issues.

The book selected this year was “The Coming Wave” by Mustafa Suleyman, which discusses the complexities and implications of ongoing technological advances.

As part of the initiative, all incoming PNW freshmen received a copy of the book, with PNW faculty encouraged to incorporate the book into their courses.

Additionally, Friday featured the Munster Student Debate, a panel discussion and a keynote address by an Ohio State University professor that addressed the impact of new technologies on culture, politics, economics, medicine and other aspects of society.

Grace Yang, chair of PNW’s computer science department, said the event is a chance for the university to reach out to community members and engage them in the conversation about AI and other emerging technologies.

“We believe it’s our job to make sure our society becomes aware of the problem and maybe push it forward and move it in the right direction,” Yang said.

Further discussions and events are expected later this year as part of the “One Book, One University” initiative.