Christopher Yamada

Thought Refraction

07 May 2024

I. Introduction

The introduction of AI really exploded with the release of ChatGPT in November 2022. It is hard for me to think of a world without AI chatbots being integrated into many aspects of online business and programs. The application of AI for software engineering and development seems to be especially useful. Code is a language that abides by very strict rules and does not need to seem “human” in order to function and serve its purpose. In the current world of AI, the use cases are endless for text-based solutions. Anything that can be solved by writing can be used quickly and with relative accuracy. I am aware of image generation AI services that are open to general consumers, but I have not explored very deeply into this sector. I have personally used ChatGPT for the first time this semester, and I could see myself using it in the future if I encounter some niche problems.

II. Personal Experience with AI:

I have used AI in class this semester in the following areas:

  1. Experience WODs: Completing experience WODs was a very familiar experience to me as I have done many WODs in ITM 352 with Professor Port. The availability of screencasts after failure to meet time restrictions was sufficient enough for me to finish the assignments. The use of AI did not come to mind as the supplemental class materials and recording was excellent. I did not attempt to use AI and have not tried to use it for any at-home WODs.

  2. In-class Practice WODs: The expectations for the practice in-class WODs was failure and or partial completion. I did not feel pressured to pass these WODs so I did not use AI to assist me. Solutions were given after each practice eliminating the need for outside resources such as AI to explain concepts.

  3. In-class WODs: I have used ChatGPT for one in-class WOD before. I do not remember the specific WOD but I know it was one relating to Underscore. I was not very familiar with Underscore and had a lot of trouble implementing the functions to modify arrays to achieve the desired output. I believe I failed the previous WOD using Underscore so I used ChatGPT to solve the problem. I did not think I would be able to finish the assignment in time so I decided to use AI.

  4. Essays: I have never used AI to write any of my essays in this class. I personally think the effort required to write an essay about a predetermined topic is relatively easy. The only situation where I could see myself using AI for essays would probably only be determining an idea or plot.

  5. Final project: I have not used AI to code any parts of the final project. All of the things I have contributed to the final project have been modified code from previous assignments or from documentation for react bootstrap. I am unsure if I would have used AI for the final project if I ran into a problem I could not solve.

  6. Learning a concept / tutorial: I have not used AI to learn a concept or make a tutorial. The classroom modules have been sufficient enough to get through my assignments.

  7. Answering a question in class or in Discord: I have never answered a question in class or in discord. I would more likely talk to a classmate over asking AI first.

  8. Asking or answering a smart-question: I have not asked a smart-question that related to code. If I could not properly explain my problem I might use AI to answer the question.

  9. Coding example: I have not used AI for a coding example. I found the documentation from various resources to be enough to understand functions.

  10. Explaining code: I did not have coding questions in this class. If I did have coding questions I would most likely consult a peer versus consulting AI.

  11. Writing code: I did not use AI to write code with the exception of the in-class WOD. I may have used AI to write code if I consistently had problems.

  12. Documenting code: I have never documented my code using AI. I rarely document my code as a bad habit so I could see myself using AI in the future if I needed to document a large portion of my code.

  13. Quality assurance: I usually go by a pass or fail metric when evaluating my code. I cannot see myself using AI for quality assurance.

  14. Other uses in ICS 314 not listed above: I think AI will make its way into future workplaces and potentially affect the work ecosystem.

III. Impact on Learning and Understanding:

The use of AI in this course has not impacted my understanding of software engineering concepts. ChatGPT is the most prevalent AI service that will definitely serve as or replace search engines in the future. AI serves as a summarizer or aggregator for concepts, but it has not seen widespread adoption into curricula. AI can help with smaller things such as troubleshooting code, fixing errors, formatting, and other text-based issues. It can increase efficiency by providing a quick retrofit solution to problems. However, overreliance on AI tools can lead to fundamental issues if the basics of problem solving are not in place. I have limited experience with AI tools, so I am very unsure of the impact on the learning and understanding of the general public and software engineering students.

IV. Practical Applications:

Practical applications and large-scale software projects will probably not see large innovations through AI. I think of AI as a means to quickly perform and adapt to automated situations that fall within a range of normality. Ultimately, AI is trained off of human input, which means that all solutions and connections can be done by a human, albeit with less efficiency and accuracy. I think mundane sections of coding can be sped up by large margins to improve the speed of development. The large-scale impacts of AI have yet to play out, and we will see how they play out.

V. Challenges and Opportunities:

I have not run into any challenges or limitations in my use of AI. I think the ability to prompt engines such as ChatGPT will be more important than knowing how to search with Google. It will become second nature as “Google it” and will probably continue to grow in popularity. There will be many opportunities for everyone to leverage AI to make our lives easier. It will ultimately depend on the consumer’s adoption and development of such technologies. Software engineering is a very broad topic that can see benefits when coding and will most likely take some jobs away from developers. I think AI should be used as much as a person wants in a software engineering class, as the tools available to them will only continue to grow more powerful.

VI. Comparative Analysis:

Traditional teaching methods versus AI integration is a very tricky subject. I don’t think there is a meaningful margin of difference between the two when it comes to in-class teaching. The engagement of students and their willingness to learn will usually come before any medium or method of teaching. I think if professors can use AI to give greater utility to their students, it should be used. Other than this, I don’t think AI should be a teaching resource inside the classroom. I view it as more of an external tool that is used when no other help is available.

VII. Future Considerations:

I think ICS 314 in its current state does not need any large changes or disruptions in how it is being run. There were many clarifying questions that I asked in class, but this was mainly due to the vague language on the class site. I think the lectures, assignments, and projects were clear, and I needed minimal guidance for small issues. I did not use any external resources and found all relevant material to be present on the website.

VIII. Conclusion:

I have very limited experience with AI and cannot strongly hold a position on this topic. I have hedged all of my statements and ideas so far and will continue to do so until I have enough experience to make a resolute claim. My lack of experience is the greatest limiting factor in my stance on not changing how the class is run. I think AI should be closely monitored and kept in mind when considering how to make the curriculum better. It will be interesting to see how AI develops, but from my current standpoint, it is not significant enough to change large portions of the course.