After the mass shooting at Michigan State University, Vanderbilt University used artificial intelligence to compose a 297-word email to students. This caused two deans to briefly resign, and Vanderbilt University has since apologized. After the MSU attack, the Peabody Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion sent students a message via email on February 16 encouraging them to “take care of each other.”
The email appeared to be helpful and gave students advice on how to foster a loving community among their peers, but it was actually automated, as was made clear at the very bottom. ‘Paraphrase from OpenAI’s ChatGPT AI language model, personal communication, February 15, 2023,’ it read. Students were disgusted by the email, including Laith Kayat, a Michigan native with an MSU-bound sibling.
“There is a sick and twisted irony to making a computer write your message about community and togetherness because you can’t be bothered to reflect on it yourself,” he told the school newspaper.
Two Vanderbilt University Deans Suspended For Using ChatGPT To Write 297 Word Email About Deadly Mass Shooting
Since the uproar started, Nicole Joseph and Hasina Mohyuddin, two deans who approved the email, have taken a temporary leave of absence while the Peabody EDI office’reviews’ the situation, according to a statement from Camilla P. Benbow, the dean of education at Peabody. Prior to taking a temporary leave of absence, Joseph apologized to students in a follow-up email on February 17 for the office’s “poor judgment” in using AI to compose the email.
“While we believe in the message of inclusivity expressed in the email, using ChatGPT to generate communications on behalf of our community in a time of sorrow and in response to a tragedy contradicts the values that characterize Peabody College,” her email read.
What do you think? Should these two be fired for using the bot to write their email about the shooting or is the suspension enough? Let us know in the comments below.
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