AI Podcast

English majors may worry about their job prospects due to the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in writing. However, AI is not a threat to the English major. English majors are essential because they can provide deeper analysis and creativity in their writing, unlike AI. AI writing lacks emotion and originality. The purpose of the English major is to teach critical thinking, writing skills, and understanding of the past. While AI can generate writing, it is human intelligence that determines its true value. English majors also have the advantage of being able to write for AI, as many job opportunities require AI writers. English majors are the future of AI writing and can use AI to their advantage. Hello, WCU students, specifically English majors. As a fellow English major and professional writer graduating next semester, AI is becoming something we must experience and face when entering the job force. So, why major in English when it's a dying industry, when AI might potentially take over my job? I'm here to discuss why English majors are still important. I'm Caitlin Lackey, and this is AI Writing in the Future of English. Look, job insecurity is a real thing. I'm scared. You're probably scared unless you have great connections. We as writers fear our jobs being swiped by artificial intelligence. Prompts can be simply written by typing a few keywords and voila, you have a full essay in a matter of seconds. So, why do we still need English majors? Am I at risk of finding a job? I'll answer that today. To put it frankly, no. An English degree is not a dying degree. English majors are essentially the advancement of AI writing. Elise Graham, a professor at Stonebrook's University English Department, puts it this way. AI writing isn't remotely the end of the English major. The purpose of the English major has never been to teach students to summarize texts. It has been to teach students how to think critically, write brilliantly, work with archives, keep up the changing media landscape, and understand the past. To put it simply, as English majors, we can produce deeper analysis of text than AI currently can. AI is a viable tool, much like how people thought the internet would take away jobs. AI, in its current state, cannot produce specific analysis. It faces its responses as a collective of human responses by combining data off the internet, not something specific. There's nothing original or creative ideas being presented. Another professor, Catherine Stubbs, is the English and Department Chair from Colby University. AI writing, and she says, AI writing generates writing, but it is the role of human intelligence to determine the true value of that writing. History studies encourage not only critical analysis, but also the use of imagination, and it is our imagination that will help us invent new solutions to urgent social problems. And she also writes, writing moves us deeply emotionally, intellectually, it answers the question, who am I? AI, of its present moment, can simply cannot display emotion the way humans can. Say you're writing a poem. You can have the AI create that poem, but often, right, lacks the depth than one done by a human. It's a lot more formulaic rather than creative. Writers, us English students, now matter more than ever. And now a quick break from our non-official sponsor. Are you struggling with several papers and have writer's block? Do you simply need some advice on how to start a paper? Are you like me and procrastinate every single paper to the last possible minute and then doubt your very existence? Are you not happy with what you're writing and simply need advice? Then head over to the Writing and Learning Commons here at WCU, located in Belt 203. You can meet several tutors who will help analyze your paper or whatever you're writing. Bring in the prompt of your assignment in a draft and get great advice. It's open to any major, not just English. Get your paper the way you want it or simply a good start. Visit the WOC today. One final major thing to consider as we as writers is we can use AI to our advantage more than anyone else. Who is writing these prompts and scripts for AI? Writers, of course. We need people to write the AI, and who better than English majors? You can go on any job search website, LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, et cetera. You'll see thousands of jobs asking for AI writers. Joanna Jenkins, an English graduate and community marketing manager at Tassamay, states that the skills learned through studying English can complement technological advances and enable individuals through to changing professional landscapes. Essentially, we are the feature of AI writing. We have the creative skills unlike any other major. When you market yourself trying to find a job, become familiar with AI so you have that skill. Thanks to the upcoming technology, English majors and writers matter more than ever to not only produce content, but to even potentially help advancement. We are the future of AI writing. This has been AI writing with you by English majors still matter. I'm Kaitlin Lackey signing off for tonight. Hope you enjoyed it.