W Magazine

With the rapid release of artificial intelligence tools in recent months, the ethical implications of products like ChatGPT, Google’s Bard and other communication tools are coming into question. Will artificial intelligence expand the opportunities for or improve the efficiency of the way we communicate? How can we harness this tool to improve our world when there are so few regulations to monitor its use or prevent abuse?

Artificial intelligence and humanity can fit hand-in-glove when there’s a balance of one helping the other improve. At Western, we’re extensively researching these tools to see how they can be best utilized in higher education to encourage our students to achieve a higher level of critical thinking and improve their communication skills.

Some of us have lived long enough to remember the ethical debate about permitting the use of hand-held calculators in classrooms in the late 1970s—the argument being that such an instrument would interrupt the learning of fundamentals or perhaps would promote cheating.

Today, calculators have become so commonplace that everyone takes their use for granted inside and outside of the classroom. The device became known as just a tool for students to use no different than a pencil or a microscope. It is seldom seen as a device for cheating. Fast forward 50 years: Will ChatGPT and other AI platforms be a 
new “calculator?”

Broncos are built to be curious and to want to share that thirst for knowledge with the world, and new technology can help them do that. Take first-year environmental sustainability student and Finch Greenhouse caretaker Jacob Soule. Now with 27 million likes and a million followers on TikTok, he’s imparting green-thumb knowledge to novice gardeners around the world.

Meanwhile, the financial expertise of Dr. Onur Arugaslan, professor of finance and co-director of the Sanford Center for Financial Planning and Wellness, is sought after as rising prices grip Americans and beyond and the importance of planning for retirement becomes even more critical. A Bankrate survey finds more than half of Americans say they are behind on retirement savings, making this a most worthwhile discussion.

Forget about inflation, it’s our graduates in the College of Aviation who are really soaring. Alumnus Steve Denomme has built a storied career as a captain for Delta Airlines. First beginning his time in the industry pulling planes in and out of the hangar at the college, he’s propelled himself through industry-rattling moments like 9/11, the recession, pandemic—even the blackout of 2003. Through it all, he persevered using his knowledge and experiences in our top-ranked aviation program.

As society continues to adapt to change, the students, alumni, faculty and staff at Western are on the cutting edge of technological advancements and ideas to make this world a better place. While new technology can induce anxiety and even fear of change, it is new ideas, new knowledge that can offer opportunities for advancement and growth. You need both to thrive, and at Western, we will remain strong for years to come.

Sincerely,