The National Conference on Digital Education held at Illinois Tech recently brought together leaders in higher education, industry, and policy to discuss the evolving landscape of technology in education.
Among the notable speakers was Vinton Cerf, the Vice President and Chief Internet Evangelist at Google, also known as one of the "fathers of the Internet." Cerf's keynote address shed light on the impact of technology on teaching and learning, equity, and fostering innovation.
In a brief interaction with Cerf, I asked him about the future of human thinking, the concept of singularity, and the influence of language models on government. Cerf's insights offered a thought-provoking perspective on the subject. Cerf joked about the question, saying it was like asking someone to describe the universe in under twenty-five words.
Although Ray Kurzweil is his good friend, Cerf expressed skepticism about the potential achievement of singularity and its implications for human thinking. He emphasized the remarkable capabilities of the human brain, highlighting its intricate connectivity and the interplay of neurons. Cerf suggested that regardless of whether we achieve singularity, we already possess potent tools, such as Google search, that enable extensive information retrieval.
However, he cautioned against mistaking recall ability for intelligence. Tools like large language models excel at retrieving information, but they still need help to perform critical thinking, hypothesis formation, analysis, and making inferences like humans. In his mind, language models are like salad shooters when mixing up the facts. He shared another story about asking a large language model to write a biography about him, and the result needed more accurate information.
Cerf urged us to be cautious in distinguishing between these two distinct aspects of cognitive processes to avoid assuming greater intelligence based solely on the ability to recall information. He thinks we're entering an age where we may need clarification about the new intelligence indicators.
Cerf shared an intriguing anecdote about a chatbot programmed to mimic the voice of David Attenborough, a renowned naturalist, and broadcaster. He used this example to stress the importance of discerning older indicators of gravitas and value from newer ones, which may deceive us into granting undeserved credibility to artificial intelligence.
In other words, asking probing questions and avoiding prematurely assigning intelligence to technology is crucial, as it could have profound implications for our perception of credibility and authority. Cerf underscored the need for AI to augment human intelligence rather than replace it entirely. He underlined the potential of AI to impact society at various levels, from local to global scales.
Like Sam Altman's testimony before the Senate, Cerf emphasized the importance of collaboration between companies, regulatory bodies, and public education to ensure that AI contributes positively to the world without harming society. Collaboration, however, requires faith, according to Allan Watts in This Is It. Altman called for a broad spectrum of perspectives, including those of scientists, politicians, philosophers, clerics, and CEOs, to shape the development and deployment of AI technology.
In conclusion, Cerf's insights shed light on the intersection of human thinking, artificial intelligence, and the future of education. His skepticism regarding the achievement of singularity and his emphasis on distinguishing between recall and accurate intelligence serve as cautionary reminders in the age of rapidly advancing technology.
Cerf's call for collaboration and careful consideration of the impact of AI on society underscores the need for a balanced approach that harnesses the power of AI while preserving human intelligence and societal well-being, especially when you consider a chatbot's ability to change a person's political views subtly.
In the education world, his thoughts highlight the potential of technology to revolutionize assessment practices, offering new avenues for gauging student learning, promoting critical thinking, and preparing students for real-world challenges. The landscape reminds me of a quote from Albert Einstein, "If I had an hour to solve a problem, I'd spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and 5 minutes thinking about solutions."
As we navigate this evolving environment, the golden era of conspiracy theories, a time of hackable humans, and the possibility of sleepwalking into extinction, we must heed Cerf's words and approach technology discerningly, leveraging its capabilities to enhance human potential and create a better future.
Vint Cerf
