A Note on AI

Do I use AI? Will I use AI? Of course. What year is it? I’ve used AI for years in my work, in research and in teaching, so why would I not continue here? In fact, it creates an interesting irony. I’m deeply skeptical that computation is sufficient for understanding. But I recognize its utility.

Like search engines, digital libraries, or symbolic mathematics software, AI is another tool for me. I use AI as a tireless sparring partner. It’s a tool for testing arguments, exposing weak points, and surfacing arguments I didn’t know in advance. I use it for examining questions from perspectives that I don’t occupy. And yes, I might use it to polish prose. Used badly, AI is a substitute for thought. Used well, AI extends thought.

The tools are part of the process. The judgment remains mine.