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♟️ Why 1997 was not the end

AI vs. Human: A Historic Chessboard Showdown

In 1997, the world witnessed a watershed moment.

IBM's Deep Blue, an AI fine-tuned to dominate chess, squared off against the legendary Grandmaster Garry Kasparov, taking the world by storm with a win.

But this was no ordinary game.

It was a symbolic clash between machine intelligence and human genius.

The outcome prompted introspection: Is the future of humans playing chess now over?

The Resilience of Chess: A Testament to Human Connection

Fast forward 26 years, and the chess world tells another story.

Far from fading into obscurity, chess has witnessed a renaissance.

Young people, especially, are flocking to chessboards and digital chess platforms with renewed vigour.

The reason?

I think it’s the palpable human connection.

While AI can calculate millions of moves per second, it lacks the emotional depth, unpredictability, and narrative that human players bring.

The anticipation of a player's next move, the visible tension, the highs and lows of a hard-fought game—these are experiences that AI can't replicate.

Humans are still a source of fascination.

The Classroom Conundrum: Can AI Replace Teachers?

As AI tools proliferate classrooms and administrative offices, educators grapple with existential concerns:

Will there be a place for human teachers in future classrooms?

However, as the chess world has shown, human connection is still meaningful.

I would argue that human connection is the only thing that is truly meaningful.

It is what gives us meaning.

Teachers are much more than knowledge machines; more importantly they bring…

Passion

Understanding

A personal touch.

Instead of viewing AI as a looming replacement, where “robots” teach our students, it's time to reimagine it as a sidekick.

It will be a powerful ally that can handle the tasks that turn us into robots

It is my view that if we integrate AI in the right way, then it will help teachers to focus on fostering genuine human connections with their students.

Navigating the Future: AI as an Ally, Not an Adversary

The future of education demands a new vision of the roles humans and AI play.

It's a symbiotic relationship, where AI amplifies human capabilities without overshadowing them.

The technological journey, from the iconic Deep Blue to ChatGPT, serves as a testament to the rapid evolution of our world.

Yet, as we stand on the precipice of an AI-saturated future, a timeless truth remains:

Human connection is irreplaceable.

In the realm of education, we are poised for a revolution.

Much like the post-Deep Blue chess world, AI's role in education will be significant, but not solitary.

Machines may offer algorithmic perfection, but the authentic, heartwarming, and sometimes challenging human journey remains central.

So, as we embark on this exciting new chapter, let's champion a narrative where AI supports and uplifts the human experience.

🌄 More than chat - GPT 

ChatGPT Pro users are in for a treat.

Over the next few weeks OpenAI will be integrating their image generation tool, Dall-e 3, into ChatGPT. 

Powerful image generators like Midjourney exist, but here are 5 reasons why I think this is so important:

1. Enhanced Image Generation Capabilities

Dall-e 3 represents a leap in the AI area of image generation.

It excels in handling nuance and detail, making it more precise and expressive. Compared to its competitors, such as mid-journey 5.2, it seems to manage text and detailed descriptions more efficiently.

The model's ability to understand styles, inspirations, and specific criteria allows it to produce images closer to what the user imagines.

2. Incorporation into ChatGPT

Dall-e 3 is natively integrated into ChatGPT.

This integration has two major implications:

User Experience: The native integration means that Dall-e 3 is more attuned to natural language prompting, reducing the need for intricate prompt engineering.

Mainstreaming: Being built into ChatGPT offers a significant distribution advantage. With ChatGPT already boasting hundreds of millions of users, Dall-e 3 can tap into this existing user base, potentially making it more accessible to a broader audience.

3. Potential for Multi-Modal Integration

Dall-e 3 signifies a move towards multimodal AI, which involves multiple types of input or output, such as text and images.

Experts view this release as a stepping stone towards a future where AIs can seamlessly integrate various modalities. The integration with ChatGPT hints at the potential of future AIs to understand and generate both text and visuals in tandem.

4. Influence on Rival Companies

The release of Dall-e 3 poses a significant challenge to competitors like Midjourney.

While Midjourney has been a dominant player in the text-to-image space, Dall-e 3's integration with ChatGPT and its advancements in image generation might disrupt this standing.

The competition will likely push both OpenAI and its competitors to innovate further and release more advanced models.

5. Rapid Competitive Advancement

Rapid advances and releases in the AI space can be attributed to increasing market competition. While this competition drives innovation and pushes boundaries, there are concerns:

Safety and Ethical Implications: The race to stay ahead might lead to companies compromising on AI safety measures, releasing models without thorough testing or consideration of potential risks.

Industry Impact: This race can reshape the industry, affecting how companies operate, their priorities, and their release strategies.

Here's a sample of what it can do (hedgehog aside, think of the possibilities...)👇

also, the video we made for dalle 3 is SO CUTE: pic.twitter.com/k1FOFTOsU5

— Sam Altman (@sama) September 20, 2023

Check out this X thread to see what else it is capable of (and why I think it could be better than Midjourney - my favourite image generator)👇

DALL-E 3 Test:

Someone on Reddit suggested I ask DALL-E 3 to create a list of 50 objects and then generate an image of them. It did.

Then I asked asked it "Can you create an image of a surfer holding these objects in a big overwhelming pile as he struggles to surf?" #Dalle3 pic.twitter.com/87228uC4Gw

— Nathan Shipley (@CitizenPlain) September 22, 2023

📈 40% higher quality work with AI

A study was published on the 18th September by social scientists from Harvard, Warwick Business School and MIT who measured the impact of 7% of BCG's consulting force (758 consultants) using AI in their workflow.

Key Findings:

👉 They finished 12.2% more tasks on average.

👉 They completed tasks 25.1% faster.

👉 They produced 40% higher quality results.

👉 AI's capabilities are uneven, making some tasks easier while struggling with others that might seem similar in complexity.

👉 They consistently performed better regardless of prior introduction to AI.

👉 AI served as a "skill leveller": Lower-scoring consultants benefited the most from AI, improving performance by 43% Top-performing consultants also improved but to a lesser extent.

👉 When AI couldn't provide the correct answer, human consultants relying on AI performed worse. Without AI, consultants were right 84% of the time, but with AI, accuracy dropped to 60-70%.

👉 Over-reliance on high-quality AI can make individuals careless, as observed in a separate study on recruiters. This phenomenon is termed "falling asleep at the wheel".

So What?

This was not a group of teachers, however anecdotal evidence from around the world suggests that a similar impact is happening within education for educators.

My takeaway for this are that pedagogical skills and knowledge, subject expertise and understanding of the students we are teaching are skill vital. Top performing teachers will benefit from AI but they still need all of their skills and knowledge. 

This week I'm excited to be delivering professional development for: 

👉 ISTIP - Independent Schools Teacher Induction Panel
👉 Maritime Academy Trust 
👉 MAT Directors with Inspiring Leaders
and guest lecturing at South Central Institute of Technology.

Also, join me on Wednesday at 4pm (UK time) for a LinkedIn Live conversation with the Multi Academy Trust Association (MATA). I'll post the link on my LinkedIn during the week.

Your first TAIE newsletter? Check out the back catalogue for free at newsletter.theaieducator.io

If you are in the following parts of the world and would like to chat about AI in education PD, get in touch now before I'm booked up:

🇺🇸 New York (and surrounding states) - December 2023
🇺🇸 Florida - January 2024
🇳🇴 Norway - February 2024
🇭🇰 Hong Kong (and surrounding countries) - end of May 2024