(C) Semeando Vida

There are about 2,600 four-year universities in the United States. Some are research-oriented universities where graduate students outnumber undergraduates. International students make up about 3–4% of undergraduates and 12–15% of graduate students, accounting for less than 6% of the total student body. Universities favor STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields and admit many graduate students in these areas. Recruiting international students is a way to supply talented and necessary human resources. They run laboratories and contribute to exploring new knowledge, which serves as the "future bread and butter."

I heard a professor at a prestigious American university lamenting that he felt like "a dog chasing a chicken" (a Korean idiom meaning left behind or in a state of futile helplessness). I wondered what kind of nonsense that was, but he said that lately, he doesn’t know what or how to teach. His students at this elite university used to engage in lively discussions, but for some reason, he is now facing listless students who look as if they are starving. Students are more indifferent than in previous years and don’t seem to engage in late-night group studies. They cannot see the path ahead. The professor says he now spends his energy trying to filter out assignments completed by Artificial Intelligence. Would universities in Korea be any different?

Students who experienced non-face-to-face learning due to the coronavirus struggled after schools reopened. Nowadays, students seem frustrated about how the world will change, what they will do for a living after graduation, where the country is headed, and whether they can exert any practical influence in that process. Watching students who feel dark and insecure because they cannot predict the future, the professor said he has never felt so incompetent. And it’s all because of AI.

Since the 1990s, I have linked my own homepage to the school website to upload lecture materials. It was just text or PowerPoint files with voice recordings explaining them, but at the time, it was revolutionary. It was a gesture of consideration to allow students to download them for preparation and review. I operated my three-hour course efficiently by doing one hour online and two hours in the classroom for Q&A and discussion. However, the Q&A and discussion didn't work well. After much thought, at the beginning of the semester, I made each person come forward and speak for five minutes about anything, starting with an introduction. I asked more questions so they couldn't stay silent. Since students didn't read books, I made them read newspapers. When they still didn't read, I gave bonus points if they hand-wrote editorials at the end of the term. You have to read to have something to talk about, don't you?

The amazing capabilities of AI are, first and foremost, translation and interpretation. Seeing it churn out subtitles and translate foreign news and talk shows in real-time feels like magic. It translates any foreign website in an instant. Is there anything AI cannot do now? The struggle with original foreign texts is almost disappearing. It seems that even the bright minds at prestigious universities feel frustrated thinking about what work they will be able to do if AI does it all. The same goes for writing. AI does all the reports, and bots write newspaper articles. Does this mean we don't need to learn writing anymore? Should we stop studying composition? If AI does all the poetry, novels, and movies, what will we do for a living? How bleak is this?

One expert said that students must build a rich background of knowledge through reading history, science, and literature. Learning the basic principles of mathematics and science is also important. This is like a restaurant owner: they can leave the cooking to the chef or cooks, but if the owner doesn't know how to cook, they cannot control or replace them in an emergency, leading to a crisis.

Another important thing is to cultivate sensibility and empathy. A few years ago, when the coronavirus spread, all subjects worldwide were taught online. When the situation improved and students returned to school, they were awkward and failed to interact. Problems arose in friendships and cooperation. Mingling together, eating, drinking, and participating in club activities are truly important. School is a place where you learn how to live by solving problems yourself amidst differences, conflicts, and relationships. AI cannot teach this.

We are analog. Robots and AI understand our words and writing and work for us, but they show and let us hear the results through analog screens or speakers. We cannot run on electricity, can we? Let’s read books, sweat through exercise, and mingle. While doing so, let’s find what we love and do it crazily. There is a saying, "You must be crazy (passionate) to reach (achieve)." In doing so, we will find a way to make a living.

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