Murder Mysteries, Mock Interviews, and the GenAI Revolution
What happens when generative AI and innovation collide? Tech fire.
At the Wharton Hack-AI-Thon, co-hosted by AI at Wharton, Analytics at Wharton and the Wharton AI and Analytics Club, University of Pennsylvania and Wharton School students worked in small teams to create something new. In this hackathon with a twist, they had a week to engineer either an app or prompt using generative AI, which is the type of artificial intelligence and machine learning that uses models to create new content, such as text and images (think ChatGPT).
Chatbots and Small Talk
For competitors, the Wharton Hack-AI-Thon was a chance to dig into a discipline that is truly on the cutting edge – of education and society.
“GenAI represents a rapidly advancing and exciting area within data science,” observes Xinmei “Cindy” Feng, a data science grad student at Penn who was the leader of the winning “Prompt Engineering” team that was charged with innovating around the prompt engineering of GenAI. Prompts are essential to GenAI because they act as a bridge between what a user wants and what the machine understands. “As a data science student, I’m naturally drawn to this field and saw the event as a fantastic opportunity to gain practical experience in an increasingly vital sector.”
Hanging out with an enthusiastic group of AI innovators was also pretty inspiring, added Kevin Li, leader of the winning “Technical Track” team, which had to create an app using the OpenAI API (Application Programming Interface). “It was fascinating to see how different teams harnessed AI to tackle diverse challenges,” notes Kevin, a Wharton MBA and one-time Harker School grad with experience in investment banking and startups. “What stood out was the creativity in applying AI to different domains like tax, health care and education, showcasing the versatile impact of AI across sectors.”
Several pioneering projects lit up the digital platform at the end of the Hack-AI-Thon week, including Moodshaker, an app that tailors cocktail suggestions based on the user’s mood, and Small Talk Master, engineering GenAI prompts to help international students with more effective social interactions.
The first-place teams (led by Cindy and Kevin), took home $1,000 each. They look like this:
Detective GPT, an AI chatbot that won in the prompt engineering category, allows users to quickly develop interactive detective games like murder mysteries. The game application offers a high level of customization and interactive freedom, allowing users to select their style of gameplay. Once a style is chosen, GPT technology generates a unique detective game in seconds. Users then interact with the game through the ChatGPT interface, taking on the role of a detective tasked with solving a murder. The game mimics real-world investigative processes, presenting various challenges such as debunking alibis, identifying the murderer, and solving locked-room scenarios.
“The concept for Detective GPT arose from our desire to innovate beyond the well-trodden paths of AI,” says Cindy, adding that her team plans to further develop their project with more data and advanced large language model techniques. “While AI is already proficient at generating text, images and music rapidly, its application in gaming, particularly in creating dynamic and interactive narratives, is less explored,” she continues. “We identified visual novel games as an ideal genre to benefit from GenAI due to their reliance on compelling scripts and interactive text-based communication…AI technology, particularly GenAI, informs and enhances our game by accelerating content creation – scripts can be developed swiftly using AI, tapping into vast datasets to generate dialogue and plot twists.”
AiMI: Created by the winners of the technical track, AiMI is an advanced interview assistant that helps users improve their interview skills and address common challenges in interview preparation. It designs customized interview questions and scenarios, offers verbal and non-verbal feedback, and accepts input in the form of text or video.
“AiMI is an AI mock interviewer,” says Kevin, who is heading to Japan when he graduates in May 2024 to work in e-commerce as an Amazon product manager. “My four other teammates and I have experience interviewing for software engineering, consulting, tech, and investment banking roles, to name a few industries. When we met up as a team to discuss ideas, one common pain point was preparing for these job interviews. AiMI was conceived to address the challenges many face in preparing for job interviews. We leveraged AI to analyze user responses for content relevance, speech clarity, and engagement, enabling tailored coaching that improves interviewing skills.”
What It Means to Be Human
While both Cindy and Kevin have collaborated with their teams on developing practical GenAI applications, they are taking much grander visions away from the Hack-AI-Thon’s exchange of ideas and peer innovation. “The projects I’ve seen showcase AI’s potential to solve real-world problems and predict a future where technology significantly amplifies human productivity and creativity,” notes Kevin.
For Cindy, it’s clear that AI is not just a tool, but a transformative force that is reshaping our world. “This transformation presents us with profound questions and opportunities,” observes Cindy, who hopes to eventually integrate AI into the financial sector to automate and enhance financial processes and structures. “How do we leverage this technology responsibly? How can we ensure that AI enhances human welfare without compromising our values or autonomy?”
Understanding and adapting to AI technology will be pivotal in navigating the future job market and contributing effectively to society, Cindy suggests. “The rise of AI signifies a future where technological literacy will be crucial. It also underscores the importance of cultivating soft skills that AI cannot replicate, such as interpersonal communication and problem-solving in complex, unstructured situations. This is a time for young innovators to engage with AI not just as users but as shapers of this technology, ensuring it grows in ways that are beneficial and aligned with our highest human ideals. This era is more than a technological revolution; it’s a moment to define what it means to be human in an increasingly automated world.”
Conversation Starters
What are your thoughts on Detective GPT and AiMI? What questions would you like to ask the project teams? Post them in the comment section of this article.
Cindy notes that AI as a transformative force is an opportunity for us to think critically about how we can “ensure that AI enhances human welfare without compromising our values or autonomy.” What are your thoughts on this profound question?
Are you tech literate, especially when it comes to GenAI? Do you feel encouraged or discouraged to use it?
I found this article to be incredibly enlightening and inspiring, and I agree with Cindy Feng and Kevin Li’s insights. Historically, every technological breakthrough, from the printing press to the internet, has brought about concerns over job displacement. Yet, these advancements have consistently created new opportunities and broadened the job market in related fields. In my opinion, Artificial Intelligence is a game-changer on par with past industrial revolutions.
The projects showcased at the Wharton Hack-AI-Thon, such as Detective GPT and AiMI, barely scratch the surface of what AI can achieve. AI has the potential to revolutionize industries, transform our daily lives, and become the next “electricity,” powering innovations across various domains. The meteoric rise of companies like OpenAI highlights the growing interest and investment in this groundbreaking field.
Harnessing AI tools effectively can give individuals a substantial edge over their peers. Just as those who mastered the early internet became pioneers of the digital age, those who understand and leverage AI will lead the next wave of innovation. Acquiring AI expertise is not just beneficial; it’s essential for navigating the evolving job market and capitalizing on the opportunities this transformative technology presents.
Moreover, I commend Cindy’s vision of integrating AI into the financial sector and Kevin’s focus on AI-enhanced interview preparation. Both highlight the versatility and broad applicability of AI. As the saying goes, “With great power comes great responsibility,” and this is particularly true for AI. It’s vital to develop and use AI responsibly and ethically to ensure it enhances human welfare without compromising our values or autonomy.
And on a lighter note, this comment has been brought to you with the assistance of an AI using 5 Tips for Perfecting Your Prompts by Cindy! It certainly started transforming the writing industry.
AI’s ability to create compelling, stimulating content fascinates me, especially after reading about its use in Detective GPT. AI has the capacity to enhance recreation on new frontiers, so I wonder if a similar application can be used in the movement toward greater mental health awareness and support.
A current solution to the pressing mental health question has been the construction of green spaces. These are vegetation-covered areas of open land in urban areas that are intended for recreational and aesthetic purposes. Typically constructed as parks, green spaces can boost both mental and physical health by enabling visitors to immerse themselves in nature—an experience invaluable to community development. According to a study published in the National Library for Medicine, individuals living in urban areas with more green spaces have healthier cortisol profiles, less anxiety and depression, less mental distress, and greater well-being. However, such an enriching experience is not equally available to all. In May of 2021, the National Audubon Society reported on the accessibility of outdoor spaces in the United States: “More than two-thirds of the 100 largest U.S. cities offer less park acreage in communities of color, with similar inequity based on income.” Therefore, the boost in mental health that is associated with nature must be made more easily accessible, or even globalized, to effectively support the needs of diverse communities.
Constructing adequate green spaces in every city is unrealistic considering the significant infrastructural changes, planning, and financing that would be required. However, with the rise of AI, nature can be explored through the realm of data science and effective prompting. Virtual reality has been used to simulate nature and immerse people in environments that they otherwise would never have been able to access in their present living conditions. Although the extent to which virtual reality can replicate the benefits of nature is actively being studied, the technology foreshadows a hopeful future in which people can overcome the constraints of their physical environment through digital means. Considering that AI can generate unique games in seconds and provide coaching for job interviews, its future appears to have an infinite number of practical applications; addressing mental health needs might be one of them. An AI-generated simulation of nature could be worth millions to an individual who is constantly shadowed by a dull, gray environment.
Perhaps the true beauty of AI is its inherent connection to the future and the unknown. What does a better world look like, and how can it be achieved? What will we have to adapt to or sacrifice? In the words of Cindy Feng, we can “ensure that AI enhances human welfare without compromising our values or autonomy” by implementing new programs that demonstrate compassion, flexibility, and creativity toward real-world problems.
Supporting Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5663018/
https://www.audubon.org/news/whiter-neighborhoods-get-more-park-space-new-report-shows
I took great pleasure in reading such a thought-provoking, intriguing article on a topic that interests me greatly: AI, its transformative power, and its impact on humanity.
There has been much debate in the past couple of years about artificial intelligence. But what is artificial intelligence and why is it such a topic of interest and debate?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is intelligence embedded in machines that enables them to perform cognitive functions similar to the ones performed by humans, such as learning, language understanding, problem solving, and decision making.
Mankind has evolved under the auspices of several industrial waves: coal powered the first industrial revolution in 1765, gas lighted the second industrial revolution in 1870, electronics and nuclear energy fueled the third industrial revolution in 1969, while the internet and renewable energy spurred the fourth industrial revolution, which we currently experience. AI is the phenomenon that unhinges the latest industrial revolution, opening up new horizons at a pace never experienced before. Each wave brought much expectation, as well as anxiety.
AI covers a broad spectrum of human abilities that researchers envision intelligent systems to exhibit. Some of these areas are machine learning (algorithms that allow machines to learn from data), natural language processing (enabling systems to understand human language and to interact using it), problem solving, decision making and even social intelligence.
The applications of such human-like features are diverse and high-impact: finance, healthcare, gaming, military etc.
The endeavors spotlighted at the Wharton Hack-AI-Thon, such as Detective GPT and AiMI, are great examples of the vast transformative power of AI. From creating a dynamic and narrative infused interactive model reshaping the world of gaming in the Detective GPT, to redefining the job market and the interview process with AiMI, the possibilities of AI are endless. I was particularly intrigued by AiMI. If I would have the opportunity to meet Cindy, I would love to have a conversation with her about how such an AI powered interview assistant could enhance candidates’ ability to give their best in an interview, while stimulating them to maintain their authenticity and creativity.
With such powerful potential, come great risks and complex ethical aspects.
The risks and potential harm associated with AI range from data privacy to data bias and transparency, unemployment, to AI being weaponized by bad actors, and even to becoming an existential threat for mankind.
To mitigate such risks, many countries and international forums started to regulate AI and algorithms. In 2020 the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence was launched, laying out the human and societal values that must govern the development of AI. In 2024, US and UK entered into a landmark agreement on AI cooperation and AI risks mitigation.
The exciting journey of AI continues.
Generative AI is our future. From Cindy Feng’s Detective GPT- showcasing AI’s ability to self-generate a murder mystery game and Kevin Li’s AiMI- an AI mock interviewer, AI is rapidly taking precedence over every part of our modern day lives. Its possibilities are endless, and its applications are infinite, something this article perfectly encapsulates. AI has been an important field since the 1950’s, but the genAI revolution or AI boom only started in the 2020’s. Similar to the creation of factories in the 1700-1800’s during the Industrial Revolution, an opportunity to advance human innovation and productivity has taken place once again in our lifetime.
The two amazing projects that won the Wharton Hack-AI-Thon show how truly applicable AI is in every situation. In Cindy Feng and her team’s Detective GPT game, it is fascinating how GPT can incorporate real life tactics and seamlessly blend it into the game, demonstrating the ability of AI to take games a level above those that are set in stone- that can’t adapt or change styles, remaining bland. This is only further reflected in Kevin Li’s AiMI, an AI that can mimic a real person and provide help with interviews, even having settings to focus on certain interview sections. Without a person nearby, the use of AI can be a game changer when needing to apply a job.
Yet even those are just the tip of the iceberg- as AI has the potential to help with STEM and business fields in the future. However, Cindy and Kevin are both right in limiting AI. AI has a massive role and a great power, but with great power also comes great responsibility. It is essential that something rooted so deeply into everyday life stay programmed only for welfare. However, the question remains on where this line is to be drawn.
This article greatly resonates with me as the perfect summary to the AI situation in the world. Even for me, I find myself often going to generative AI models like ChatGPT and Google Gemini instead of the traditional google search. We are in another era of revolution, and its up to us to make sure we wield this authority with responsibility.
We could be inclined to say that generative AI is replacing human innovation, but it is amusing to see how this idea was immediately proved wrong in Wharton’s “hackathon”. As students created prompts and apps using GenAI, we were able to see how this topic involves more education and societal topics than anything and to see how it sparked a necessity to offer innovative solutions to tackle different social problems. These events serve as a point of connection where many AI innovators can meet with one another and bring with them evolution and creative thinking. Just like Kevin Li mentioned, it is amazing to see how AI and human creativity can work together to improve tax, health care, and education sectors, and as seen in the competition, create innovative projects like Mood Shaker, which offers users recommendations for cocktails according to their mood, or Small Talk Master, which help international students gain social skills, were perfect example of that.
We can learn a lot about the winner of the prompt engineering part of the competition, Cindy, and her project Detective GPT which she built with her team. It is exciting because I had never heard of something like what Cindy and her team created, and interesting to realize that it is the very same reason why they created it. Detective GPT allows people to easily create interactive games like murder mysteries in very little time. It is distinctive because no one has yet explored creating dynamic narratives with the help of AI, and as this is inspiring, we can also learn a lot about what motivated her and her team to create this prompt. GenAI does not stop creativity or innovation if it is used in the right way, and in Cindy’s case, it was used to accelerate content creation, so that she and her team could focus on the creative part of the project and its goal. This portrays a good use of GenAI and opens the door to speaking about the importance of education when working with GenAI.
Secondly, but not less important, we have Kevin Li’s team project AiMI which won for the technical track side of the competition. What I like the most about his project is that it mocks the way many companies structure their job interviews, and can improve the interview skills of job applicants to improve their labor opportunities. It prepares people for the challenges that might present during an interview and offers both verbal and non-verbal feedback. I had never heard of an AI that could give non-verbal feedback, and this gets me encouraged to investigate more about the progress of AI.
Having read about these projects, it is clear that AI is an enormous force that is changing how we are used to doing things. It can serve to improve financial markets with the implementation of automation and create a positive impact in many other fields as with Detective GPT and AiMI. But as Cindy said, it is important to realize that we need to shape AI so that it can enhance our productivity rather than compromise our freedom. This takes me back to the door that opened in my analysis of Cindy’s prompt. Technological and AI literacy is unconditional if we want to learn how to navigate our current job markets or construct ideas to shape the world. AI should be aiding the flourishing of our societies rather than replacing people’s jobs and increasing control over their lives, and for this we need more people to get interested in how GenAI will certainly change our future, and how can we use it to our advantage to accelerate our projects for sustainable development.
Touching these topics, it is consoling to realize that being human means having emotions, ups, and downs, going from childhood to the uncertain waters of teenage to adulthood, and being marked by every single experience that we live along the way. To laugh, to learn from our mistakes, and to be able to work under pressure and be resilient during difficult times. To adapt to changes, and embrace life in all its richness and possibilities. That is an advantage that we have over AI that characterizes us and differentiates us from what AI can do.
The article was definitely fun with the use of Detective-GPT for making interesting customizable games that force the players to think out of box and maybe one day really become a Sherlock Holmes of sort instead of today’s PUBG etc games which might not be that good and if children play games with their friends instead of online would even be better too much mobile time is just isolating children and rotting their brains.
I think Detective – GPT and AiML are both great tools which are helping people but we have to ensure that we are using the AI for good going forward. Because it’s not just about a terminator scenario where AI takes over the world but even in the current world we can see how children ar etoo much relying on Chat-GPT for their school work which might not be good as till a point as point for help it’s very good but again doing all the work with its help definitely lowers the thinking capacity of children which I think is a very ig concern for the next generation with more and more fields coming up new opportunities being created their are also new threat like maybe how an AI made for counselling instead of a psychologist made for the purpose of good can also be used to manipulate the same person the to do something bad. I totally agree with Cindy’s thought of increasing human welfare through AI while maintaining our autonomy but we have to see how others can use the same algorithm and manipulate it to do something bad. AiML is first made to prepare people for interviews but what about new founders who started using its question etc as a way to take interview in the company would that really be that productive ? I don’t know how it will affect the world but I think it will be interesting to further see the revolutions it causes. Being further interested to dive in the field of deep learning
The power of artificial intelligence (AI) has undoubtedly far exceeded the expectations of even its creator. New usages of AI appear in all kinds of apps and websites; at Wharton’s Hack-Ai-Thon there were numerous innovative ways in which AI could be used. The technology has rapidly transformed, and now ventures into uncharted waters, and we, as the creator, enjoy this proliferating innovation. But we are also faced with the dilemma of how AI can be utilized properly. Amid uncertainty, some choose total ignorance; while others prefer total freedom; however, a black-and-white approach might not be appropriate.
As generative AI surges in popularity, many schools are faced with growing concerns about the academic integrity of students using AI on assignments and exams. AI could reduce the friction in research for papers and essays, but it could also be used to write complete essays and cheat on tests. Many schools are unsure how to deal with this growing issue; simply deciding to block AI in an attempt to ignore it. However, this expanding concern about AI is more than just contained in schools. The positive and innovative application of AI shown in the article could easily be tarnished with malicious use. While there are filters and regulations on ChatGPT, unblocked versions of ChatpGPT uncontrollably answer any prompt input. For example, while AiMI could help someone prepare for an interview, the tool instead might be used to answer real interview questions; giving the applicants a perfect answer even though they are not capable of answering. AI could be used to advance and build humanity, but it can also be used to tear it down without regulation.
AI has the limitless potential to produce incredible things, but it is hard to judge whether the possible hostile usages will outweigh its benefits. Collectively, as a society, we need to adopt a more sophisticated framework to embrace new technology, on top of that we need to set certain restrictions and limitations for ethical usage. AI could appear as an untapped oil well; without regulations, it could easily burst into a raging fire and, but by containing it and sharpening it with rules, it could foster growth and prosperity.
In this keen article “Murder Mysteries, Mock interviews, and the GenAi Revolution” Xinmei “Cindy” Feng says of AI as, “This transformation presents us with profound questions and opportunities”.
As we progress into the future, great technologies come with great responsibilities. With fluctuating software like artificial intelligence we must utilize it with nobility not with negligence. Swinging at us with unconventional questions and earnest opportunities which can’t be overemphasized within this world of extraordinary technologies. Cindy’s insightful quote captures concerns of job displacements, and pristine job opportunities in the market. Which brings us into the obstacles we must overcome together as a society whether AI will benefit or destroy us.
The thought-provoking quote itself by Cindy confronted me to re-visualize my understanding of artificial intelligence. As a student in highschool, the quote has led me to reconsider whether the emergence of AI will introduce an impenetrable influence of vexation or harmony on people. We all have presumptively stumbled across “AI” by any means, whether searching for tutorials on Google or using ChatGPT on essays for school – that’s the way of life. Everybody lives in this warzone, one where we take risks to fully leverage technology or hide in a shell to technology. Cindy’s quote lets me know the greatness of technology — without technology we miss out on creativity and driven ideas a person can fabricate.
The quote also raises the insecurities on job displacements. As we all grow to lead
the future, we must embrace the aches and pains that artificial intelligence inflicts on the workplace. This challenge dealt by artificial intelligence demands that we come up with solutions like jobs that can’t be taken over by Ai in the future. Since AI has been this problem that people shiver about, I realize we don’t appreciate AI; it is also a tool we can use to diversify the workplace, broaden the job market in general to benefit and strengthen society.
Cindy’s perspicacity fosters a learning mindset, a concept that Kevin Li also introduces, as seen with their projects at the Hack-Ai-Thon — Detective GPT and AiMI. These projects embrace the intelligence and talents that humans can develop, using “AI” for the good, and ultimately challenging us to take off the shells and fight the discomfort . This mindset of learning isn’t just the only essential key to the technological culture, it’s also about the open mindedness of the potential innovations, industries, and transformations of our everyday lives due to Ai.
In the future, the workplace will be surrounded by new rapidly developing technologies with AI, along with brilliant minds, and the relentless pursuit of success by others. As we move forward we must inherit the discomfort of technology to benefit society with new opportunities and innovations. As we take a leap of faith into the future in this unexpected world we must acknowledge that wherever there is shadows — there’s always light.
As a tech nerd who loves everything under Artificial Intelligence(AI) and Machine Learning, the Wharton Hack-AI-Thon grabbed my attention.
Firstly, I would like to thank Dianna Drake for writing this wonderful piece as well as congratulating Cindy and Kevin on their success. Truly individuals to inspire all of us!
Wharton Hack-AI-Thon acted as a showcase of what AI is at in its current state and demonstrated the potential it has in the future. The applications for the sheer number of domains and the impressiveness of these projects go to showcase what the future of modern computing holds. AiMI has to be one of the most simple yet brilliant usages of machine learning to occur – an interviewing application that allows aspirants to prepare for an event with few alternatives. It’s ingenious in that we can solve problems and simplify our lives with straightforward reasoning and demonstrates the beauty of clever engineering.
More than the projects themselves, as Cindy touches upon, is the AI’s future potential. As start-ups and firms begin to take notice of these events, it allows us to make key findings that help move toward work-life integration. There is much more to come in the future.
On the other hand, Cindy introduces an interesting argument that I do not believe many commenters are focusing on. AI requires responsible usage. ‘Look before you leap’, is a common idiom that becomes a symbol for this movement. Ethics and engineering are core principles that go hand in hand, though, often getting lost when faced with opportunity. As with any idea, the good will always come with the bad. The same manner we have progressive individuals such as Kevin and Cindy, who want to see AI at its fullest potential, there are a handful who take a malicious approach. We must ensure that this does not fall into the wrong hands and harms more than it heals.
Drake’s article eloquently captures a compelling and though-provoking exploration of the profound changes of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and what it’s bringing to various platforms. From creative writing to professional development and business innovation, the article captures the essence of a significant paradigm shift driven by GenAI, altering things such as how we approach creativity, learning, and business operations. The articles exploration of GenAI in creative writing, particulate in genres like murder mysteries, is indicative of a larger trend towards the democratization of creativity. It allows a broader range of individuals to engage in creative endeavors, leading to an explosion in new content and ideas, which ultimately enriches our cultural landscape.
The ability of GenAI to generate complex narratives and character arcs provides a powerful tool for writers, enabling them to push the boundaries of storytelling. This not only enriches the creativity, but also allows innovation in narrative techniques and genres.
Drake’s discussion of GenAI’s role in business also underscores its potential to change how companies operate. By shifting routine tasks and providing deep insights on data, GenAI enables companies and businesses to focus on strategic decision-making and innovation. The could help lead towards a more agile and responsive organization, capable of quicker adaptions to market changes and consumer demands. This integration of GenAi into business not only approves efficiency but also fosters continuous improvement and innovation. Companies that leverage GenAI effectively are likely to gain a competitive edge, leading to increased market leadership.
However, while the article is optimistic about the benefits, it also raises important questions about the ethics and societal implications. As GenAI is integrated into various aspects of life, there is also a need to address potential issues: data privacy, algorithmic biases, and displacement of jobs. This challenge is set in harnessing the power of GenAI responsibly, ensuring the benefits are widely shared and that its risks are mitigated. This requires thoughtful regulation, ethical guidelines, and a commitment of inclusivity and fairness.
The introduction of AI to the modern world has shaken everyone, rapidly revolutionizing technology. Some argue that the AI revolution rivals that of the invention of the internet, fundamentally altering the way we live our daily lives. But, why does media often depict AI as a harbinger of doom, like in ‘Terminator’ or ‘AUTO’ from WALL-E? This portrayal taps into our deeply rooted fears of losing control of our own creations, a theme that’s becoming ever present in our developing world. This fear is not unfounded, as the applications of AI have the potential to completely alter the state of the world, for better or worse.
While reading about Detective GPT and AiMI, I thought about the programs’ consequences and ramifications. On the surface, both appear to be beneficial applications of AI. One is an entertainment tool while the other is a job interview coach. Yet, Detective GPT could be used to reinforce harmful stereotypes while AiMI could be used to perpetuate biases in the hiring process. I do not doubt that in the coming years we will see the introduction of AI into things such as college acceptances, education, and politics, all of which could have incredible consequences due to the biases of AI.
The increase of AI in the medical field is also posing a concern. A simple example is the increase in the use of the word “delve” in 2023 in medical studies published on PubMed. It’s no coincidence that “delve” also happens to be one of the most commonly used words by ChatGPT. In only a year, AI has already altered our linguistic patterns and potentially impacted our medical research.
I think this begs the question, when do we lose our humanity and turn to relying on AI for everything? Cindy Feng brings up not only AI’s transformative properties but also the responsibilities that come with handling AI. Given AI’s potential impact, I believe AI development demands a dedicated group of managers, similar to the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists and their supervision of nuclear tech. This body could oversee and monitor the impact of AI, while also preventing the misuse of it.
AI’s rapid advancement brings not only seemingly benign use cases but an equal amount of threats. To fully safely harness and incorporate AI into our lives, extra precaution should be taken and we should not underestimate the potential consequences of it. Only by carefully guiding the development of AI will we ensure that AI serves humanity’s best interests and nothing more.
My first thought after finishing this article was, well, “I need to send this to my mom, now!” But my /second/ thought was “why didn’t I think of that?!” Murder Mysteries, Computer Science, Women in STEM–the three things that comprise a solid seventy percent of my brain-space. However, this article also targets one of the largest concerns I, and many others, have about the role of artificial intelligence in the arts, that being the removal of human input.
While Detective GPT is by no means a flagship example of that concern, it does bring up a question. If AI can convincingly simulate a mystery game, including the interrogations, plot twists, and red herrings, isn’t it possible for AI to write a convincing mystery? The mystery genre is massive, from “cozies” to whodunnits, TV shows to, yes, even Visual Novels like those Detective GPT was referencing. It is that popularity that may make it a prime target for AI commodification.
However, in order to answer that question, we first need some context. The mystery genre is replete with ghostwriting in its most toxic breed. Companies hoping to make a quick buck off of the popularity of mysteries hire ghostwriters paid at incredibly low rates. Additionally, these writers are paid per page, incentivising low-effort, barely edited works. This is where the utility of artificial intelligence could become dangerous. One of AI’s strongest assets is its ability to write quickly, and at a fraction of the cost of a human writer. The first AI powerful enough to complete a work, even with guidance, could threaten to topple the entire ghostwriting industry. While AI may never reach the point of writing ability to threaten humanity’s masterworks, if the bar is set as low as simply completion, that danger becomes much, much more likely to realize.
However, in spite of those dangers, I do not believe that Detective GPT is the butler of this story. It did not, in fact, kill writers everywhere with a candlestick in the billiards room. First, Detective GPT is one of a few first examples of the gamification of Artificial Intelligence, akin to a game like “Suck Up”. For those who are unaware, in this game, you take the role of a vampire, trying to gain access into people’s homes to suck their blood. The difference between this game and social puzzle games of the past is that these homeowners’ conversations are controlled through AI and can respond to anything that you say. This game by no means threatens the entire gaming industry, rather, it adds a new layer of immersion that can enhance player experience.
This is where I believe Detective GPT falls.
In the same way that Suck Up’s usage of AI was a tool to save its developers from writing a dialogue tree the size of the Iliad, developments in writing similar to Detective GPT will be a tool that writers will use in the future for their own works.
While concerns about the integrity and danger of AI tools in the arts are both valid and inevitable, if the past predicts the future, things will change, but humanity will still play the main role in art. Ghostwritten books do not make up the most popular works in fiction. It was the writers who put the most thought and care into their works that have reached that level of popularity. I hope that it will be the same with AI. The writers who best use AI not as a replacement for human creativity, but as scaffolding, will create the most compelling AI supported works.
“Hey ChatGPT, write me a story.” We used to be fascinated by AI producing a short paragraph about a walk in the park. Now, it awes us with epic fantasies. The future of artificial intelligence is certainly bright and will remain a staple in society for decades to come. The DetectiveGPT and AiMI projects are undeniable trailblazers in their respective sectors and will continue to inspire as we find ourselves at the dawn of an era of entryway into AI usage. It seems that the world’s leading companies discover new productive applications of AI daily, and I am truly excited by the boundless potential available to us. However, Kevin and Cindy’s remarks generated the most reflection for me regarding the role of AI in creativity.
When is it acceptable to fully rely on AI for assistance? Kevin’s vision of “a future where technology significantly amplifies human productivity and creativity” intrigued me, particularly concerning the two qualities that he highlighted. I believe that it is important to consider creativity and productivity separately, as AI’s usage in these principles is vastly different due to their unique natures. Using AiMi to train interview skills does an impressive job of emulating the feeling of practicing with a peer, and is a wonderful example of how AI can assist us in cultivating our productivity. I especially love Kevin’s subsequent comments about the possibilities of expanding productive AI usage to domains like healthcare and education! I recently had the chance to experiment with an AI-powered model in my physics class that simulated force interactions and it made the learning process so much more streamlined. But, spheres of creativity do not always harmonize with the interference of artificial intelligence.
Unlike variables of “productivity” such as profit in quantitative fields like sales, creativity is not assigned concrete values of measurement and value; it is an abstract concept that is the culmination of originality and imagination. It is widely regarded as a defining element of humanity and is a crucial precursor to higher-order thinking. Past iterations of artificial intelligence have been far from achieving creative autonomy, but the arrival of generative AI and advanced machine learning has thrust us into a new age. As a model that produces dynamic, original, investigative narratives, DetectiveGPT presents itself as a scriptwriter and creative director – positions thought to be exclusive to humans. It is models like DetectiveGPT that ignite discussion concerning the extent to which AI should be integrated into creative processes. And these discussions aren’t just hypotheticals anymore – they are rooted in reality. A fundamental component of the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike was the desire for the safeguarding of scriptwriters’ jobs against AI, which held major implications for their livelihoods. We were forced to confront consequences spanning various industries across America. The creative branches of Hollywood risked being replaced by AI, and the potential economic fallout surged to the forefront of the debate as well. This was all perpetrated by the question: Although artificial intelligence can generate a high-quality script like a human, would resorting to it be more beneficial to society in the long run?
When considering this question, I was reminded of the premise of one of my favorite science fiction novels, The Time Machine, by H.G. Wells. In this classic, The Time Traveler jumps 800,000 years into the future and encounters humans who have evolved into childlike beings (the Eloi) who lack curiosity and diligence. They had achieved perfect tranquility but lost their intellectual capabilities. The Traveler eventually theorizes that innovation is derived from necessity, and humanity regressed because of the absence of challenge. In a similar sense, I question if our creativity will be diminished by overreliance on AI. When we utilize models like DetectiveGPT to instantly generate scenarios, we miss out on the hours of brainstorming where we make the most of our creative gifts. If we were to have AI complete the entire creative process for us, our imagination would presumably slowly deteriorate as well. Thus, we must search for the optimal balance between AI assistance and our own ingenuity. It is our generation’s responsibility to set precedents regulating the use of AI as we approach the cusp of a technological revolution. Ultimately, we find ourselves in, as Cindy perfectly captures, “a moment to define what it means to be human in an increasingly automated world.”
“Is AI evil?” is a question that has been thrown around innumerable times, both seriously and unseriously, in both professional and unprofessional settings. The topic of Artificial Intelligence has always seemed to be a rather polarizing one to me. Those who utilize AI tend to be avid advocates of its effectiveness and application, whereas the opposing side often openly express their abhorrence of its use. In particular, educational environments are notoriously, firmly disapproving of the use of AI. I often read articles speculating the lamentable futures of our careers as the ever developing scene of automation would take over, like some infectious disease. My enjoyment of literature, music, and visual art only further exacerbated my disdain towards AI as it felt like a cheap imitation of the emotional complexity essential to the original. Thus, for a long time, I viewed AI as solely a detrimental technological development for mankind.
Only recently have I begun opening up to the possibly beneficial aspects of AI and Cindy and Kevin’s projects have introduced me to new proposals of its usage. Cindy’s project, Detective GPT, focused on the use of AI in games, a hitherto lesser explored field of application, utilizes it to generate prompts for creating unique detective games. The use of AI in games had never crossed my mind prior to reading this article but I have since been able to brainstorm other integrations of AI in games as well as detecting usage of AI in games I already recognize. On the other hand, Kevin’s project, AiMI, employs AI to develop customized questions and scenarios for users intending to improve their interview skills. AiMI intrigues me greatly as I feel it is much more convenient for anyone preparing for an interview but is unable to set up a mock interview with another person beforehand. I am confident that AiMI would be of great assistance to many students and workers in the near future.
The stark contrast I noticed between the nature of these two ideas alone illustrates the extensive versatility of AI. This suggests that perhaps we should instead be asking the question “Is AI a force for good or evil?”. Perhaps we live in a world where both supporters and objectors of AI use are just, and perhaps it lies within our hands as users to decide whether to use AI for good or for wrong.
When I initially submitted my comment, I saw that it was not paragraphed. So, I resubmitted and found that both were gone.
However, on my third attempt, it says it detected a duplicate comment.
Could you please confirm that my comments are submitted safely? Sorry, I’m new to this system!
Thanks!
What Cindy and Kevin created using GenAI solved the question that arose from the hackathon—how can technological advancement lead to job management in the future with humans? Detective GPT and AiMI further addressed everybody’s doubts about what could later happen with AGI: Will humanity’s livelihood be jeopardized by GenAI or AGI(Artificial General Intelligence) or keep control over it?
Viewing the gradual AI takeover, I wondered how humans are going to continue developing technology without compromising our values. However, as Cindy mentioned, I could now see that AI is not just simply a tool but an opportunity to reshape our world and its future with AI. Many people still feel doubtful about the increasing impact of AI in our lives. Even the optimists with GenAI believe that job losses and widening inequality may be inevitable. Given that more people will lose their jobs, how essential would it be to have AiMi before an ever-getting-competitive pool of employment, and how fast will GenAI evolve and adapt to ever-changing human needs? It says now people’s job skills must be reskilled almost every ten years, which used to be a lifetime, half a century, or two decades. GenAI might be a driving force for people to update their knowledge and skills. However, it will be GenAI that will support people in that process.
I’m a coder. However, I wonder how that will connect me between coding and being tech-literate. All these wonderful GenAI creations seem to require professional knowledge. What would be something that we students can learn to feel creating GenAI is something doable not simply as a user but as a creator? Seeing a chance in GenAI and superintelligence to solve all the chronic problems that humanity has created by combining the deep thinking of machines and the empathy of humans, I still feel creating GenAI myself is far-fetched.
From Detective GPT and AiMi, I was convinced that AI’s future is still in humanity’s hands. As we still grapple with the potential of GenAI, we must ensure that it must be humans who steer its course. It’s not a matter of GenAI optimists or pessimists but of taking a tight grip on the reins and making informed decisions rather than recklessly continuing without taking a proactive stance on the issues of control and safety of GenAI.
Prior to reading this article, I attended a Hackathon hosted by one of my school’s clubs. I was immediately excited by the idea and I grabbed three of my friends and convinced them to join me. We spent the weekend working on it. The contest began on a Friday and we were given the weekend to work on it. As a team we decided to create an app. All of us wanted to make something special. So, we decided to meet up at the local Starbucks, brainstorming and discussing our ideas, before implementing it. However, our way to success was filled with multiple impediments we didn’t see coming. We had no artist to draw our logo, no person to code out the prototype, and no one to even design the app. Our dreams seemed far fetched. We panicked. We messaged classmates looking for someone good at art and someone who knew how to code. Fortunately,we found a talented classmate to design our logos. However, no one we knew seemed to know how to code. I had to step up. Using my prior knowledge (which was limited) along with a host of Youtube videos, I learned how to program the prototype app and within a day mastered the coding language. I spent all of Sunday until past my bedtime coding out and fixing issues while the rest of our team designed an advertisement and made the app look professional. Although I can no longer remember the app itself–we created it three years ago–I do remember the pleasure of creating it. Yet, even by the end of the night, I wasn’t satisfied with our final prototype. But there was no time, so we just submitted the work.
The following week, the results were announced in the school’s auditorium. They called up my team and we headed up with an irresistible smile, our joy couldn’t be held in as we walked down the stadium, trophy in hand. This moment became a highlight of my middle school. Not only because we won, but also because of the unseen challenges we overcame as a team.
Reading this article made me really look back on the valuable lessons I learned from that experience. The article states that people saw the Hackathon as an opportunity to expand their knowledge and it inspired them to continue with their projects even after the results came in. I understood what they meant. In my 8th grade year, my team and I also had to learn a lot of new stuff that ended up increasing our technical knowledge.For example, while I learned to become a better coder, my friends mastered how to edit videos and design apps. Three years later, this coding experience has stuck with me and helped set a foundation for me when I enter the working world. It helped me become a passionate coder who can create a new version of Tetris using Java and solve difficult coding questions. My friend who edited the videos discovered that this was what he wanted to do with his life and has started to take classes to learn the finer points of video editing.
The creation of something entirely new is what I really identified with the article’s participants. Take Detective GPT, which creates detective games. This showcases the participant’s ability to really think creatively and discuss their ideas deeply with teammates in a way that forms life-long friendships. On the surface it may seem easy, but it really isn’t. I know. My team and I spent a decent amount of time arguing over color schemes and logo designs. Simple on the surface, but really crucial for marketing an app. Even though many of our arguments came to nothing–and often caused tension between us, while slowing down our progress– we worked through it when we began all opening up to each other and promising each other to not criticize. It ended up working well for us and we all learned to work with each other.
The end of the article states how the participants carried on their work in the future, like Cindy who was inspired to integrate AI into finance. I’m jealous. That’s the part where my team and I failed. While we created a prototype of an app after the contest, we never followed through with putting it out to the public. We knew we could do better and make something out of it, but we decided to just abandon it. I’m still not sure why.
Reading this article made me realize the importance of contests like Hackathon in helping us become more knowledgeable about science, while also having an effect on the real-world. I hope to help start a follow-up hackathon for my school this coming year. Perhaps then, I’ll follow through and get my ideas out in the world.
Both Detective GPT and AiMI are very intriguing, and also seem very helpful in a world that is becoming more automated as time goes on. I feel like this would be similar to something like the industrial revolution, or the introduction of the internet, where the world starts to change to fit the society these have brought in. Oftentimes, it results in a good thing, such as with Detective GPT and AiMI.
These two AIs that were mentioned in the article can lead to good change, such as allowing AI to become more advanced in their storytelling, writing, and other forms of media. It also allows AI to help humans to improve their skills in real life situations. But, Kevin and Cindy ask how it can boost human creativity or welfare without compromising human values, and this is something that I can relate to in a way.
AI that is more creative or advanced will most likely need more data from online sources, such as the internet, which it then compiles together into a single response. This is a problem for people like story writers, artists, and plenty of other jobs. I am an artist who likes to spend a lot of time on my work, but an advanced AI is capable of churning out pieces of similar quality in seconds, just from a single prompt. This is a problem, because it takes away the human aspect, or values, of our works, and with AI becoming more and more advanced, plenty of information online is replaced with AI generated content.