Why this moment in tech feels different
From classrooms to careers, a fast‑moving generation of ideas is opening new doors—and Ohio State is preparing students, says Molly Ranz Calhoun.
Spring is a time to consider new things—which flowers to plant in the garden, fresh takes on outdoor activities, novel plans for travel with family and friends. So it’s fitting this issue of our alumni magazine examines the latest new technology to capture our imagination here on campus.
Two years ago, I never gave artificial intelligence a second thought. Now, I’m greeted by it every time I pick up my smartphone. Like any new technology, AI is both fascinating and frightening. Many universities treat it as an existential threat, fearing it will facilitate cheating and shortcuts, reducing students into little more than drones following orders from their computer overlords.
President Walter “Ted” Carter Jr. decided early on that Ohio State would not buy into that doom and gloom scenario. Rather, he reasoned, if AI is the way of the future, then Buckeye students would master it by the time they graduate.
This isn’t the first time we’ve faced choices like this. In the 1980s, the concern was over calculators replacing slide rules in math classes. Some were convinced they would lead to a mass dumbing-down of students, while others predicted that allowing learners to quickly solve complex equations would free them to create even more advanced algorithms.
The 1990s brought wider use of home computers, stoking fears of widespread plagiarism by students with a universe of information literally at their fingertips. Subsequent decades brought us wireless internet and smartphones, untethering us from our desks and putting entire libraries as close as our pocket.
While concerns over AI should not be ignored, they do need to be put in perspective. One thing all of these technologies have in common is people. With the dawn of every new information technology, Ohio State has thrived in putting them to good use because Buckeye faculty, students, administrators and staff have tailored and managed them to serve our needs.
There are hundreds of high-paying careers working with AI, with new ones being created every day. I am excited about our future because I know Buckeye students and alumni will be driving it.
I hope, like me, you feel smarter after reading this issue of OSAM. If you don’t understand all the technology, don’t sweat it, you’re in good company. Fortunately, Ohio State turns out thousands of graduates every commencement, and any one of them will be able to help you.
