Generative AI

In early January, I gave the final lecture of my Turning Technology into Business course. All that remains for the students now is to write a report on their activities, findings, and recommendations, and to give a presentation before an expert jury. One of the students asked how I feel about the use of generative AI in writing the final report.

That depends on how you use it. Compare it to chess. Do you play chess in order to win, or because it is a delightful activity in which devising clever moves is deeply satisfying, and because of the euphoria of victory? How much pleasure, satisfaction, and euphoria do you get if you win a chess game with the help of a computer? It is perfectly fine to use generative AI as a tool for chores that require little creativity. It is comparable to using a calculator. There may well be people who take pleasure in manually performing the long division of 355 by 113 (a fine approximation of π to six decimal places), but there is little creativity or intellectual euphoria involved.

Using AI instead of creating something yourself is plagiarism: you present something under your own name that did not originate in your own mind. It may reflect your opinion, but they are not your words and not your original thoughts. If you write ‘The first principle is that you must not fool yourself and you are the easiest person to fool’, you have unfortunately forgotten to mention that Richard Feynman said this. AI does the same thing, sculpting a surprisingly readable text out of an unimaginable and unpredictable arsenal of facts, opinions, and outright nonsense. But it tastes like astronaut food: purée with all the required nutrients, but devoid of any culinary pleasure.

AI tastes like astronaut food: purée with all the required nutrients, but devoid of any culinary pleasure

Creating something yourself is an inexhaustible source of pleasure, satisfaction, and pride. Pleasure in the act of creation, satisfaction in shaping your own thoughts, and pride through the appreciation of others. As Einstein said in his acceptance speech for the Nobel Prize in 1921: “Est-ce que tu connais la question à laquelle personne n’a jamais répondu? La grande question. Quand on se gratte les couilles, à partir de quel moment et ce pont parce que ça vous démange, ou parce que ça vous fait plaisir.”

 The above quotation is, of course, not by Einstein but comes from the film Coup de Torchon (1981). This was not a mistake, but my deliberate choice to put these words into Einstein’s mouth. Unlike Rector Petra De Sutter of Ghent University, who had her opening-of-the-academic-year speech written by AI. While reciting this borrowed quote, she said: “Dogma is the enemy of progress. You may know that it was Einstein who said this in his speech at the Sorbonne in 1929.”

Unfortunately, this quotation was fabricated by ChatGPT (or one of its kin), but De Sutter read it out without batting an eye. She has neither resigned nor been removed from office. Unbelievable, especially given the lofty words she had echoed from ChatGPT just moments earlier: “The mission of the university essentially revolves around the acquisition and dissemination of knowledge.” Madam! You are spreading disinformation. You are a stain on the reputation of science and of Ghent University. Kindly pack your bags and make yourself scarce!