Like, they couldn’t have interviewed people in oncology using ML to develop better cancer diagnostics, or people in astronomy who have been using it to discover new exoplanets (and doing so for like, 20 years? And teaching it, too)?!?! So silly

(In case it wasn’t apparent, I am rather strongly anti-LLM for many reasons, but I do allow my students to use them after they know what they are and how they work, along with very strict guidelines about citation. (Also, most of my assignments can’t be completed with LLMs, which again, arts ftw))

Also, while it hasn’t undergone peer review yet, that new MIT pre-print is going to blow a lot of things wide open and I’m like

Thanks for reading! I’m happy to chat about some of the strategies/assignments that I employ (at the end of the day, I want to make sure students have the info and critical analysis skills they need to make informed choices about what tools they use and how)

Yeah, it was super weird that no one who has been using ML in sophisticated ways (and who has been including it in coursework for literally DECADES) was interviewed for this article, which again, says a lot about the reporting…there’s an obsession with LLMs that doesn’t characterize every use case.

But reducing it to “every student is going to write papers with LLMs” is a gross misrepresentation/unsophisticated reduction of what is actually happening (and yes, I realize that’s my own gross reduction of this reporting, but let’s be real, that’s kind of how people are reacting to it)

So all in all, I agree with the idea that we need to be addressing AI - and particularly machine learning (omg that’s another basic part of algorithmic literacy that doesn’t get communicated: all machine learning is AI, but not all AI is machine learning) - at some point in each student’s education

(Also, I’m really pumped for some of the artists-in-residence that OSU is bringing in this year through these AI initiatives; these folks are doing really awesome work that critically analyzes the development and use of these tools/systems/structures, and we desperately need that nuance)

Additionally, thankfully the arts offer us an opportunity to get away from LLMs (which I think are a net negative) and look at ways that we can engage with non-semantic computational creativity that benefits society.

I’m on the AI+arts committee; imho the reporting here isn’t great (and I don’t think it’s being communicated well; most things re: AI aren’t), but I do believe all students should have basic algorithmic literacy and understanding of the limitations and ethical questions surrounding these tools!

It just hit major media outlets; here’s reporting from the Boston Globe, too: bsky.app/profile/bost...

I haven’t seen the news hit any major outlets yet, but the here’s primary source reporting from the MIT Coalition Against Apartheid’s IG account, as well as admin contact info (images of the post below).

If you’re an MIT alum (and even if you’re not) call Chancellor Melissa Nobles’ office (617-253-9742) and demand that they make this situation right and demonstrate that they actually stand for our students’ right to use their education to make the world a better place. @mitalumni.bsky.social

As an alum, I was so proud to see her address yesterday. Sadly, the administration just banned her from attending her commencement today. If anyone wants to call and voice their dissent, Chancellor Nobles’ office’s number is 617-253-9742!

Additionally, I am so proud of our newly-minted alums for standing up to hate, and calling for peace and freedom in countries where people are being murdered by our taxpayer dollars and research at our academic institutions. Listen to the 2025 class president’s speech: m.youtube.com/live/Lpq-fc-...

For those of you in need of some positivity, you can check it out here: youtu.be/1b2LfAGkkpk?...