AI: Arizona State University English class embracing artificial intelligence

TEMPE, Ariz. - We have been hearing a lot about artificial intelligence, and at Arizona State University, students in nearly every department are learning how AI is changing their field.

Some of the tools in Dr. Kyle Jensen's class – a white board and dry erase marker – look similar to what one would find in an average, traditional classroom. The advanced English class, however, is state-of-the-art, as it incorporates AI.

"One of the things that we try to do at ASU is teach in a way that's timely," said Dr. Jensen. "If there are topics that are emerging that are on our students' minds, we create courses that speak to where they are."

Read More: ChatGPT: What you should know about the AI chatbot and its impacts, both good and bad

The students are working on prompts in ChatGPT, and how that can effect the program, as well as the results.

"It's not really a choice as to whether or not it will be adopted, but the more you know about it, the more effectively and ethically you can adopt it just in your day-to-day life, or as a professional," said student Vishrut Chaurasia.

"The truth of the matter is that they're here, and if they're here, we have to understand them or else there's going to be action that we can't necessarily feel like we can control, and that's where things get dangerous," said student Sophia Herman.

ASU has previously announced the first ever partnership between a university and OpenAI, which is behind ChatGPT.

"I think that we're very excited to see all kinds of new disciplines and new kinds of skills, workforce opportunities, as our students, no matter whether they're in the sciences and engineering. or whether or not they are actually in the social sciences," said ASU Chief Information Officer Lev Gonick.

"The need to prepare students for the future is not ever going to go away," said Dr. Jensen.

This is the first semester for this kind of class at ASU's English Department.