Ride the Wave of AI or Be Swept Away by the Tsunami! - Reviewing "On Holding Back the Strange AI Tide"

The Substack article, "On Holding Back the Strange AI Tide," by Ethan Mollick, is a compelling read. It provides a deep dive into AI and its transformative impact. AI isn't a future prospect—it's a present reality, reshaping everything in its path.

The author astutely recognizes that AI isn't something we can ignore, ban, or control centrally. It's an innovative tool, a catalyst for change, and an opportunity for employees to elevate and transform their work.

A particularly insightful aspect of the article is the author's critique of organizations' attempts to control AI's disruptive potential. The three stages of AI adoption—ignoring, banning, and centralizing—are presented as flawed approaches that fail to harness AI's transformative power. The author argues for a democratized control over AI, where individual employees are empowered to innovate and experiment with AI in their tasks.

The impact of AI extends beyond business and the economy—it's on the cusp of revolutionizing education. However, AI's swift progression presents unique challenges for educators. With AI capable of completing or assisting with almost any assignment, how should teachers respond?

Many are falling back on traditional methods—blue book exams, handwritten essays, oral exams. But these are mere band-aids. What is called for is a revolution in our teaching methods and learning approaches in this AI-dominated era.

AI isn't the villain in education—it's the hero. We need to be teaching AI, not trying to purge it from students' repertoire. We're on the brink of realizing the dream of large-scale tutoring. AI promises to ease teachers' burdens, enhance student outcomes, and bring joy to parents. We need to envision a radically transformed education system.

The opportunity is massive—we can democratize education, reaching every student, regardless of their abilities. But we can't cling to the past and hope things won't change.

As good as Mollick's article is, it does appear to miss a beat. It fails to delve deeply into AI's ethical implications. We need a fresh approach, yes, but we can't ignore ethics. Privacy is a major issue—it can't be swept under the rug. It demands our full attention. Legal cases, like Sarah Silverman's, deserve their day in court. We need open, honest dialogues on these critical issues.

Having said that, this article is more than just a piece of writing—it's a call to action. AI is the rising tide. We can't stop it, but we can learn to ride the wave, harness its power, and use it to create a better future. Higher quality output with less effort is within our reach!

So, let's not just read this article—let's act on it. Let's embrace the change. We can either ride the wave of AI or be swept away by the tsunami!

#AI #Revolution #Innovation #Education #Ethics #CallToAction