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KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Dr. Brian Gogan is no stranger to the writing process. Brainstorming, drafting and revising are words that are near and dear to his heart. So when a new tool with the ability to completely upend how we think about writing presented itself, he felt compelled to investigate.

“My interest in AI came from the standpoint of somebody who teaches writing. If this technology is going to influence the writing in the classroom or workplace, then I should explore it further and consider how it influences my teaching,” says Gogan, professor of rhetoric and writing studies and director of the first-year writing program.

Artificial intelligence, or AI, has become one of the most discussed topics in the world since ChatGPT was released to the public in late 2022. While the possibilities of AI seem vast and all-encompassing, Gogan’s description of generative AI is painstakingly simple.

“AI can be described as the language equivalent of a calculator for mathematics,” Gogan says.

Whenever he discusses the possibilities of AI with his students or peers on campus, he likes to first discuss its limitations.

“(AI) is not a search engine. It is not something that you would use to receive the most current, up-to-date or accurate information.”

Given that generative AI models are designed to predict the next word or sequence of words rather than verify truth, the accuracy and factuality of AI output cannot be fully guaranteed. With that said, Gogan believes there are a wide range of ways AI can be utilized in daily life.

“You can use generative AI to draft thank-you notes or develop a business pitch or feasibility reports,” Gogan says. “I have seen students use generative AI to help draft research questions and potential interview questions. I have had students use generative AI to match their sets of interest with museums or to create a travel itinerary.”

For many, the true value of AI will lie in its ability to help better understand topics and complete tasks that might otherwise be considered cumbersome or even confusing. Tasks like changing your car’s oil, perfecting a croissant recipe or keeping your houseplants alive can all be made easier with the help of AI. But the capabilities of generative AI are not limited to reporting and research.

“You could use (AI) in a very interpersonal way as a conversational partner, asking questions and seeing how it responds. Ask it to tell you a joke or to answer a joke,” Gogan says. “There are some people that will take it to the next level and have a self-help conversation with generative AI.”

But the old adage “you get out what you put in,” most certainly holds true. 

“If you want to use an AI output in the real world, then you have to supply the platform with the real-world communicative context, including the communicative need, constraints and audience,” says Gogan. “Some AI researchers have even suggested that crafting a GenAI prompt as a polite request yields more effective outputs.”

Fortunately, for anyone interested in learning more about AI, Gogan and ɫɫ�� have an option.

“I personally believe that the writing of prompts is going to be an important area of study and practice,” says Gogan, who offers courses about how to write questions in AI to get the best answers. 

While the overall impact AI has on our writing or our daily lives is not likely to be known anytime soon, the tools to experiment are available. Whether you’re looking for a laugh, help preparing a meal or even a little bit of advice, generative AI is here for you—whether you want it or not. ■