How a university in Utah is trying to use artificial intelligence

OREM — The world is changing rapidly as artificial intelligence becomes more and more important, including in the classroom.

Utah Valley University is trying to meet this challenge, despite its potential pitfalls and the speed at which AI is evolving.

“It’s a brave new world,” UVU President Astrid Tuminez said in an interview with KSL TV. “Technology – you can never stop it, and that’s why it’s really important to know and understand its uses.”

Use of AI in teaching

Noah Myers teaches accounting at Utah Valley University’s main campus in Orem. He is increasingly using AI in his classes.

“It really is a net win for education,” Myers said.

This semester, he is teaching students how to use ChatGPT to create a spreadsheet that will make their work as accountants easier.

Before AI made it easier to enter code and programming instructions, Myers said it would have taken much longer.

“Students can rely on it as an assistant,” he said, “and it can help them learn.”

This is just one example of how UVU – which has around 45,000 students – is trying to get a better handle on artificial intelligence.

“We need to understand how AI works,” said Tuminez.

She noted that UVU has recently started using this technology in many areas, including courses such as computer science and sociology, as well as helping students identify “deepfake” images and videos in political messages.

In addition, Tuminez said, the university has established an institute to train teaching staff in the use of AI, prevent fraud and improve human resources processes.

“And we’ve developed a chatbot – a teaching assistant – that’s available 24/7 for some of our largest courses,” Tuminez added.

Concerns about AI

However, there are also concerns about artificial intelligence on campus, such as plagiarism or the possibility of students leaving the thinking to a computer.

“That’s a real problem,” acknowledged Barclay Burns, UVU’s new associate dean for applied AI. “Sometimes it’s easier to just let the AI ​​work for you and not go through all the discipline of learning how to be a good writer, a good thinker, a good problem solver.”

But AI isn’t going away. Burns says it’s important to understand how to better use it – even if it feels like the “Wild West” right now, as artificial intelligence technology is constantly changing and improving.

Burns said UVU is launching an initiative to gather feedback from professors and develop new guidelines for future use of AI.

“If students and faculty buy into this, I think we will end up with smarter students,” Burns said.

Preparing to start your career

Tuminez, UVU’s president, said today’s students need to understand how to use artificial intelligence as they prepare for full-time jobs.

“We want them to be ready for the job market,” Tuminez said. “No matter what field you’re going to be in – whether it’s entertainment, computer science, engineering or politics – AI will have applications in all of those areas.”

Conner Mariluch, an accounting student who will graduate in a few months, said the use of AI in Professor Myers’ lectures has helped him learn.

As a result, says Mariluch, he feels better prepared for professional life.

“From a practical perspective,” he said, “this was probably one of the most relevant experiences I’ve had here at UVU.”