By Arial Collins
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has rapidly become integrated into our society. While this may be considered a great technological improvement for some, others find the everyday implementation of AI nerve-racking. Currently, AI applications such as ChatGPT and DALL·E 2 are used to improve efficiency and aid people in creative endeavors. However, this can also erase the humanization aspect of one’s results. As AI progresses, discussions about workplace and educational repercussions are becoming a divided issue. We are even able to view this on a level that is familiar to us, which is AI’s impact at the University of Louisville. Two art and design students shared their opinions on AI and how it personally affected their lives.
Addison Ballard, an interior design student at the University of Louisville, found herself divided on the future of AI. Ballard claimed that she was introduced to AI her junior year of high school and now uses it about once a week, as it helps her brainstorm ideas and write social media captions for her job.
However, Ballard also expressed fear of the impression AI will make on her future career.
“I have heard so many things about people starting to use AI to design their own space, so it is causing the need for my career to decrease,” said Ballard. She believes, though, that AI cannot realistically replicate the human aspect of interior design work.
“I feel that my major will still be needed because there are so many aspects where you will need to specify measurements and quality, and even getting to know a client better to design a space is something that AI won’t have the capability to understand,” said Ballard.
As the popularity of AI grows, Ballard hopes for a limit in how it is being used. “I feel like AI is a good tool that most of society depends on too much now to get rid of, so to ethically use it, it should be used for ideas, not to take away from imagination and the limited jobs that people are trying to get,” she said.
Adrian Spalding, a graphic design student at the University of Louisville does not use AI often but will mess around with chatbots for fun from time to time. However, their opinion on its usage is split.
“I’ve heard AI could make major medical advancements, which would be awesome. I think it needs pretty thoughtful and thorough regulation to be used safely, however, and to protect jobs and maintain the quality of goods and services,” said Spalding.
Their biggest fear as AI progresses is their job security. While AI can be fun to play around with sometimes, they hope for it to be used responsibly so others are not negatively affected.
“I’m scared. Like with my major, I think it could be a benefit or detriment,” Spalding said. “Either it’ll be a helpful tool, or it’ll take my job.”
