Generative AI (genAI) is transforming industries across the globe, from education to healthcare, bringing both challenges and opportunities. As tools like ChatGPT redefine how we teach, learn, and communicate, they are reshaping long-held practices while unlocking new possibilities. These advancements prompt pressing questions: How should universities evolve to accommodate AI in classrooms? What does the future hold for professional translators as AI revolutionizes their field? And can AI play a meaningful role in preserving endangered languages?
In their engaging mini-series Universities and the Rise of AI, hosts Professor John Hajek and Dr. Yu Hao delve into these timely topics, exploring the profound impact of genAI on academia and language-related fields. Spanning four episodes, the series features insights from leading experts who discuss the ethical dilemmas, technical mechanics, and practical implications of AI in education and linguistics.
The episodes tackle topics ranging from the challenges AI poses to academic integrity to the groundbreaking potential of genAI in translation and cultural preservation. Each conversation offers thought-provoking perspectives on how we can adapt to an AI-driven future while safeguarding authentic learning and linguistic diversity.
This blog post provides a comprehensive guide to the series, with the title, blurb, and audio player for each episode conveniently included. Whether you’re an educator, a learner, or simply curious about how AI is shaping our world, this post offers a perfect starting point to explore the themes and insights presented in The Secret Life of Language.
Join John and Yu Hao as they examine the evolving intersection of AI, education, and linguistics, and consider how universities can navigate the opportunities and challenges of this transformative era.
Episode 16: Universities and the rise of AI – Part 4: Should language experts fear the machines?
Is generative AI a disruptive force or an opportunity for those who work with languages? As genAI and machine learning technologies remake the translation industry, what does it mean for the career prospects of professional translators? And can AI be harnessed to preserve and revitalize the world’s linguistic diversity?
In this episode of The Secret Life of Language, we look at the impact of genAI in a domain close to our hearts: languages and linguistics. First up, hosts Prof John Hajek and Dr Yu Hao are joined by translators and translation studies researchers Prof Anthony Pym and Elise Qing to look at how both the practice and the business of translation and interpretation have been upended by AI, and what we can expect next. John and Yu then have a couple of encounters with recent generative AI products demonstrating the cutting edge of real-time spoken conversation and instant voice translation. Finally, we speak with indigenous languages researcher and computer scientist Prof Steven Bird about what role, if any, large language model-based tools could have in sustaining the world’s minority languages.
Episode 15: Universities and the rise of AI – Part 3: Risks and opportunities
What might we lose or gain as AI reshapes academia? Can AI be leveraged ethically to foster learning, or does it fundamentally undermine academic integrity? And how do we ensure authentic learning in an AI-augmented world? Join us as we ponder the shifting roles of educators and students, and consider whether the future of assessments lies in oral exams, digital literacy, or something entirely different.
In this episode of The Secret Life of Language, hosts Prof John Hajek and Dr Yu Hao examine the fast evolving impact of generative AI on university teaching, learning, and assessment. Prof Raoul Mulder and Dr Julian Harris, two experts who’ve long been thinking about how learning happens and how it can be measured, join in for a thought-provoking discussion on whether traditional forms of evaluation are still relevant when AI can almost effortlessly generate essays, presentations, and even research papers.
Episode 14: Universities and the rise of AI – Part 2: A peek into large language models
Generative AI tools are making waves in universities, but what exactly powers these systems? In this second of a series of episodes that examines the impact of generative AI on university education and research, we pull back the curtain on the technology that’s rapidly changing how we live, work, and interact with the world.
The Secret Life of Language hosts John Hajek and Yu Hao are joined by experts in the field to explore the mechanics of genAI, going beyond the captivating interfaces of tools like ChatGPT to reveal the complexity within. Dr Lea Frermann and Dr Ting Dang, from the University of Melbourne’s School of Computing and Information Systems, share their insights into how these AI systems work, from underlying technologies like neural networks and transformers to the data used to train them. Our guests unpack key concepts like machine learning, neural networks, and the significance of “attention” in AI models, and discuss the critical role of human feedback in refining natural language outputs and mitigating biases.
Episode 13: Universities and the rise of AI – Part 1: Ethical quandaries
In this first of a limited series of episodes of The Secret Life of Language, we delve into the rapidly evolving world of generative AI (genAI) and its profound impact on university education. As tools like ChatGPT and other AI-driven technologies transform how students learn, work, and even cheat, what challenges and opportunities do they present for academia? How should universities adapt their teaching, assessment methods, and ethical standards in response to these technologies?
The Secret Life of Language hosts Professor John Hajek and Dr. Yu Hao are joined by special guest Professor Jeannie Paterson of the University of Melbourne’s Centre for AI and Digital Ethics to explore the implications of AI in learning environments. From enhancing student accessibility to raising concerns about academic integrity, AI is reshaping education in ways we’re only beginning to understand. Can the fine line between innovation and collusion be drawn? And how do we ensure that AI serves both students and educators effectively? We hope you’ll find this discussion thought-provoking, as we invite you to reflect on the future of higher education in the genAI.