Need to understand and adapt to artificial intelligence

THE EDITOR, Madam:

The emergence and growth of artificial intelligence (AI) have been rapid and transformative: reshaping how we learn, work, and make decisions. As AI tools become increasingly available, an important question must take centre stage: What does responsible AI use actually look like in everyday practice?

Conversations about AI tend to be reduced to extremes: On one side are those who believe AI should be feared and restricted. While on the other side, there are those who treat it as a magical solution capable of replacing human thinking, creativity, and judgement. Neither position serves us well.

Jamaica, like the rest of the world, cannot afford to ignore AI. However, the goal should not simply be technological adoption. It should be thoughtful and responsible adoption.  That is, using technology with honesty, accountability, and critical thinking.

In schools and universities, responsible AI use is recognising that the output from AI use should not be treated as a final draft.  This means that students using AI must be taught how to use AI tools to support learning rather than replace effort. Teachers must model ethical AI use by teaching students how to question, evaluate, and refine AI-generated content rather than simply accepting it as truth. It also means students must be taught how to verify information, how to evaluate what AI has produced, and acknowledge when AI has assisted.

In the workplace, it is understanding how AI works, while acknowledging that users are still responsible and accountable for the decisions made.  AI can help draft reports or summarise information, but human beings must provide oversight, context, ethics, and final decision-making.

AI is here to stay, and the real challenge is whether we will use it to strengthen human creativity, innovation, education, and productivity, or whether we will allow convenience, speed and fluency to weaken critical thinking and minimise personal responsibility.

KAY DUNKLEY