ChatGPT Has Changed Education Forever, Here’s What You Need to Know

When ChatGPT was first released to the public, it saw a massive spike in usership. When usage began to decline, people assumed that this was due to the AI losing its appeal and entering the trough of disillusionment. In spite of the fact that this is the case, it turns out that this dip was due to something else entirely: summer break. Students that had been using ChatGPT to help them do homework returned in September and usage went back up.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that the LLM based chatbot might be changing education for good. Recently conducted interviews by Vox with several high school and college students as well as educators at various levels shows the various problems in terms of ChatGPT and its popularity among people that are learning.

The first major issue here is that some teachers think that ChatGPT can be used to cheat. This is certainly a pertinent concern because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up allowing students to just generate answers to all of their questions. However, it bears mentioning that ChatGPT can also help students break down concepts and aid them in the learning process.

Of course, there is a problem with ChatGPT that needs to be discussed, namely that it doesn’t always present factual information. This raises the issue that students may end up learning the wrong things, and it is by no means the only concern that educators and students alike are having about this chatbot as of right now.

Another issue that is worth mentioning is that ChatGPT could be similar to Google Maps, in that it will make people too reliant on it and incapable of learning on their own. Google Maps is known to decrease spatial awareness, and that is a harmful outcome that could be orders of magnitude more severe in the case of ChatGPT since it would be concerned with multiple types of intelligence instead of just spatial awareness.

There are two types of learning that students can go for. One is passive learning, in which a student sits back and listens to an expert give a lecture, and the second option is called active learning, which involves groups of students trying to figure out a problem and only have an expert intervene when they need help.

Studies have shown that students largely prefer the first method, but the second method is proven to help them get better test scores with all things having been considered and taken into account. Using ChatGPT for learning will make active learning a thing of the past, and that is something that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.

Photo: Digital Information World - AIgen

Read next: Searches for "AI Taking Jobs" Soared by 304% Globally in the Past Year, Led by Heightened Australian Concern
by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

Searches for "AI Taking Jobs" Soared by 304% Globally in the Past Year, Led by Heightened Australian Concern

• US searches on "AI taking jobs" surged by 276% in Dec. 2023 (when compared with the same month of last year), led by California and Virginia.
• Overall, global interest in the topic has surged by 9,200% since December 2013.
• Current likelihood of AI replacing jobs is low, serving as a tool for professionals, but future advancements may pose a higher risk.
• Google Trends show a 2,666% rise in searches for 'AI jobs,' indicating potential job creation; 2024 will be a critical test for concerns about job obsolescence.

The main question that people tend to have as far as AI is concerned has to do with whether or not it will end up taking everyone’s jobs. It turns out that online searches in the United States focusing on this concern have increased by a whopping 276% as compared to last year (December of 2022). Most of these searches came from California as well as Virginia, and it’s likely due to the increased prevalence of AI after the rise of OpenAI's ChatGPT with all things having been considered and taken into account.

When comparing December 2023 data to December of 2013, US search interest in this term has jumped up by approximately 7,800%.

When looking at the global picture while comparing last year trends (December 2022), it is important to note that Australia is showing an even higher level of concern than the US, with Canada, the Philippines and the UK following it in the list. In the US, this search term was used 276% more frequently, which is 28 points lower than the global average, i.e. 304%.

This seems to suggest that the US is not quite as concerned as some other nations in the world, with the global increase in the search term "Artificial intelligence taking jobs" being around 9,200% since December of 2013 compared to 7,300% for America. With this term reaching an all time high, paying attention to consumer concerns will be critical because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up mitigating any fears that they might have.

The likelihood that AI will replace jobs is currently rather low, with generative AI largely serving as a tool for professionals rather than an outright replacement. In spite of the fact that this is the case, AI will become more advanced in the future which will make it more likely that it will take jobs away from people than might have been the case otherwise.

When looking at the flip side, Google Trends insights from the past decade, compiled by Digital Information World team, show that AI might be creating a decent number of jobs. The data reveals a 2666% increase in searches for 'AI jobs,' with most of them coming from Singapore, Kenya, and Pakistan. Furthermore, statistics indicate that data science and machine learning were among some of the top search queries and topics.

It will be interesting to see where things go from here on out, since global sentiment can be surmised based on the findings presented above. They’ve been gleaned from Google Trends and reveal a growing level of trepidation that certain jobs will become obsolete, and 2024 will prove to be a litmus test that will determine whether or not these concerns have any kind of factual basis.

Read next: GenAI Prism - This Infographic Illuminates the Expansive Universe of Generative AI Tools
by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

Japan All Set To Enable More Third-Party App Stores And Payment Systems For iOS And Android Devices

It’s the news that has been speculated for months and now we’re finally seeing more progress made in terms of enabling more third-party app stores and payment options for both Android and iOS users in Japan.

So many developments continue to arise as we speak after the country’s government opted to submit its proposal as early as next year. This would give rise to a new and revolutionary beginning in the country’s tech world.

The news was first confirmed by the Japanese media outlet Nikkei which delineated how the proposal will soon make its way toward the country’s national legislature dubbed Diet. It wen went on to explain how this would stop firms providing operating systems to smartphones from abusing their power as a monopoly in the app store industry.

Hence, we can see how this would give rise to greater chances for competition in the tech world, especially those firms finding it hard to work against the big names of the smartphone world.

When or if it’s passed, the nation’s Fair Trade Commission should be the regulatory body overlooking this endeavor and making sure things go as planned, the report added.

This would be in line with the long list of trends we’re seeing take center stage and forcing organizations such as Apple as well as Google to make more apps available to a greater number of app stores.

At the start of this month, Google made it very clear how it would now be saying yes to a mega $700 settlement that’s up for grabs in nearly 50 different states. This settlement would give rise to a larger number of sideloading applications across Android and would even say hello to other options for billing of platforms too.

iPhone maker Apple is also under the radar in the EU as it allowed app sideloading across iOS devices. After the DMA was rolled out in the European Union region in the year 2022, we saw a lot of big names get scrutinized for enabling new regulations for tech giants. Apple seemed to be a part of the list of those who serve as gatekeepers of the industry. This means opening up a plethora of options so third parties may benefit.

For now, the Cupertino firm needs to comply with the DMA by early next year, as March 4, 2024, was highlighted as the deadline to make the change. We’ve also heard about software giant Microsoft doing its own work on enabling third-party mobile app stores for gaming purposes but no confirmation was made regarding that news so far.

Other reports did detail how Apple is going to give sideloading permission to EU users with iPhones and iPads at the start of next year, right before the deadline ensues. So as you can imagine, it’s a race against time and we’ll keep you updated on this front.

Photo: Digital Information World - AIgen

Read next: How Do X (Twitter) Users Feel About Blue Ticks?
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

How Do X (Twitter) Users Feel About Blue Ticks?

Blue ticks used to be considered a way for celebrities and public figures to maintain some semblance of authenticity online. It was essential because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up differentiating between legitimate and parody accounts as well as impersonators, but Elon Musk’s tenure has changed this dynamic considerable. It is now possible to acquire a blue verified badge simply by subscribing to X and paying a monthly fee.

It is important to note that this has changed how people feel about the blue tick in general. According to a survey conducted by YouGov on behalf of NewsGuard, 42% of X users think that a blue tick is solely obtained through payment. 25% are of the opinion that blue tick users received their distinction due to being accounts with high levels of authenticity, and 15% believed that the blue tick is a sign of higher credibility. 5% selected none of the options, and 13% said that they didn’t know.

It bears mentioning that around 6 in 10 of X users don't know that a blue tick could be purchased through a subscription, instead continuing to assume that they are marks of legitimacy. Such a belief is dangerous due to how it can make users trust accounts that have bought their verification status, many of which have spread misinformation across the sight.

With around 4 in 10 of users being aware of the paid nature of blue checks, the propensity for fake news to spread like wildfire will become a constant concern. Elon Musk’s free speech absolutism is clearly resulting in misconceptions among users, and bad actors are capitalizing on this to turn X into a place where no information can be fully trusted with all things having been considered and taken into account.

• Also read: America’s Most Popular CEOs Revealed

The recent conflict between Hamas and Israel is bringing this into the light, with many unsubstantiated claims making the rounds. The blue checkmark is making consumers believe accounts that had no real credibility, and this is shaping up to be a massive issue that will likely become even worse in the near future as X turns into an even bigger echo chamber.

Read next: How Does Authorship Work in the Age of AI? This Study Reveals the Answers
by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

How Does Authorship Work in the Age of AI? This Study Reveals the Answers

The rise of LLMs is creating a situation wherein massive quantities of text can be generated basically at the drop of a hat. In spite of the fact that this is the case, it’s not always clear what people think about the question of authorship in this brave new world.

LLMs use human generated text in their algorithms and for training purposes, and they can be tweaked to mimic a particular writing style down to the last letter, so the question of authorship is a pertinent one with all things having been considered and taken into account. Hence, researchers working at the Institute for Informatics at LMU tried to find an answer to this question.

Test participants were divided into two groups, and both were asked to write post cards. One group had to write these postcards on their own, whereas the other was able to use an LLM to get the job done. When the postcards were written, test participants were asked to upload them and provided some context on authorship.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that people felt more strongly about their own authorship if they were more heavily involved in the creative process. However, it bears mentioning that many of the people that used LLMs still credited themselves as authors which is rather similar to ghostwriting in several ways.

This just goes to show that perceived ownership and authorship don’t necessarily go hand in hand. If the writing style was close enough to their own, participants had no problem whatsoever with trying to claim that the writing in question was theirs.

The authorship question is pertinent because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up determining whether or not people trust the content that they read online. The willingness of participants to put their own name on a piece of text that was generated almost entirely by AI goes to show that much of the content online may very well end up being created through LLMs, and readers might not know about it. The key is transparency, though it remains to be seen whether or not people using LLMs would be willing to declare it.

Read next: This GenAI Prism Highlights the Expansive Universe of Generative AI Tools
by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

America’s Most Popular CEOs Revealed

CEOs are some of the most powerful people in America, but in spite of the fact that this is the case, not all of them are widely beloved by their employees. The professional social network known as Blind recently compiled data regarding which CEOs are the most popular and which ones are despised by their workers.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that Jensen Huang of Nvidia claimed the top spot with a 96% approval rating. He’s the only CEO to surpass the 90% mark, and his high score was likely buoyed by his ability to get through the economic turmoil of the past two years without conducting mass layoffs.

There is also a correlation between stock price and CEO approval, and when Nvidia managed to capitalize on the rise of AI, its stock price tripled in value which clearly boosted the CEO’s approval ratings with all things having been considered and taken into account. The same goes for Doug McMillon, CEO of Walmart, who managed to reach an 88% approval rating for 2023.

It bears mentioning that out of all of the Big 5 tech companies in the world, only Tim Cook ended up in the top ten list with an approval rating of 83%. He is eclipsed by Nikesh Arora in third place with 84%, and Ali Ghodsi of Databricks equalled him with 83%.

On the other end of the spectrum, Erik Nordstrom of Nordstrom reached the bottom of the rankings with a 0% approval rating. He shares this dubious distinction with David Goeckeler of Western Digital, with both companies laying off hundreds of employees which likely sparked a wave of backlash and negative sentiment.

Evan Spiegel, CEO of Snap, slashed the company’s workforce by around 20%, which resulted in him receiving just 3% of votes from employees who thought his performance was satisfactory. Linda Yaccarino, who is currently replacing Elon Musk as CEO of X, also got an abysmal 4%. This might be due to the turmoil occurring over at the platform and company formerly known as Twitter, with Yaccarino potentially receiving a lot of flack for the platform losing major advertisers even though this happened because of Elon Musk.

Read next: GenAI Prism: This Infographic Illuminates the Expansive Universe of Generative AI Tools
by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

GenAI Prism: This Infographic Illuminates the Expansive Universe of Generative AI Tools

Embarking on the forefront of this year's tech narrative is the undeniable dominance of Generative AI. As industry heavyweights strategically deploy their resources, a crescendo of investments materializes, each aimed at unraveling the profound shifts orchestrated by cutting-edge generative AI projects.

OpenAI’s ChatGPT saw a lot of fame in 2023 and that was all for the right reasons. Many users use ChatGPT daily for responses related to their daily as well as professional life. ChatGPT helps them as efficiently as it could to find the solution for their queries.

There are also many Visual AI tools that made a significant impact in 2023. They were actively used to create digital art and many users used these AI tools in many industries for their work. Brian Solis in collaboration with JESS3 Design Studio created an infographic that shows all the generative AI tools used in 2023 for variety of tasks. The chart features about 100 AI tools that cover various aspects of the growing AI marketplace. Just for your information this is by no mean a complete/final list, as there are over 10,000 new generative AI projects that are currently being developed, showing how fast technology is going forward.

The graphic termed as GenAI Prism consists of 6 major categories. These categories include Sound, Design, Flows, Conversational, Text and Video. Then each of the categories were divided into 3-4 categories according to the work done by AI tools. The prism is designed in a way that terms the AI tools as innovative to exponential to experimental and to iterative, which will ultimately help users learn, communicate and grow. Now let’s talk some curated AI tools mentioned in each category of the prism.

1- Design:

The design category is augment and has been further divided into 3 categories: Image, Layout and Brand. The AI tools related to Image category include Dall-E, Bing Image Creator, Canva, Jasper, Adobe Firefly and Midjourney. The Layout category tools include Figma, Visual Eyes, Adobe Express and Microsoft Designer.

LogoAI, Khroma, DesignEnvo and DesignsAI were added in the category termed as Brands for branding and logo purposes.

All of the above AI tools are used in designing.

2- Flows:

The next category is called Flows and comprises further 3 categories: Productivity, Selfcare and Learning.

Fathom, Cogram and Clara are in the Productivity category. For Selfcare, Fitbot, sleep.ai and headspace are mentioned. In the Learning category, AI tools like Moises, Duolingo Max and Babbel are included. All of these AI-based tools help a lot in daily activities of people including their self care and learning.

3- Conversational:

These are mostly AI chatbots that use conversational language to answer the queries. With 3 categories like Service, Health/Personal and General, this category of prism is used by many.

The Service included AI tools like Tidio, Nice and Digital Genius. Wysa, Doctor Snooze and Replika belong to Health/Personal category. Calude.ai, ChatGPT, Google Bard, Microsoft Bing Chat and Grok are included in the General category.

4- Text:

Next comes the Text category which is solely about text written by AI tools. These AI tools are only used to write texts. They are divided into 4 categories and these categories include Coding, Copy, General/Prose and Chat. In Coding, AI tools like GitHub CoPilot, Tabnine, Amazon CodeWhisperer and Codesquire.ai are highlighted for programmers and developers.

Smartwriter.Ai, phrasee, Jasper and adcopy are used for marketing emails and other generative text material. In the General/Prose category, AI tools like Ginger (my favorite), Notion AI and Grammarly are used for general use. Bard, ChatGPT and Bing are included in Chat category.

5- Video:

For using AI tools to create videos, Pika, Pictory, Synthesia and HeyGen are included in the Creation category. For Animation, DeepMotion and Cascadeur are included. Visla, Descript and Topaz Video AI are used for editing videos using AI.

6- Sound:

Different types of AI tools are also used to generate sounds in one way or another. For Enhancement, Audo is best for enhancing audios using AI. Mubert, Soundful and Aiva are mentioned in the Music category as they are used to create AI music. In the Speech/Voice category, AI tools like FlikiAI, Uberduck, Revoicer and Vocify are included.

All of these AI Tools were trending in 2023. Now we will have to wait and see which new AI tools will be added in GenAI Prism in 2024.

Read next: Social Media's Future: Half of Users Eyeing Exit by 2025 Due to AI Concerns
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World