www.northernpublicradio.org /wnij-news/2023-01-06/perspective-the-future-of-writing

Perspective: The future of writing

David Gunkel 3-4 minutes 1/6/2023

Published January 6, 2023 at 3:00 AM CST

DALL·E 2023-01-02 13.02.27 - A robot writing an op ed about large language models for radio broadcast.png

David Gunkel

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DALL-E

A robot writing an op ed about large language models for radio broadcast, as interpreted by DALL-E

As technology continues to advance, the way we communicate and access information is constantly evolving. One of the latest developments in this area is the emergence of ChatGPT, a language generation model developed by Open AI that has the ability to write and generate text based on a given prompt.

While ChatGPT has the potential to revolutionize the way we write and communicate, it raises questions about the future of writing in the university setting. On one hand, ChatGPT could potentially make the writing process more efficient for students and scholars. By providing assistance with grammar, style, and organization, ChatGPT could help writers produce clear and concise documents in a shorter amount of time.

However, some argue that the use of ChatGPT could lead to a decline in critical thinking and originality. If students rely too heavily on the tool to do their writing for them, they may not be challenged to think creatively or develop their own ideas. This could ultimately result in a decline in the quality of academic writing and a reduction in the value of a university degree.

Ultimately, the future of writing in the university setting will depend on how we choose to adapt and utilize new technologies like ChatGPT. By embracing their potential and using them responsibly, we can continue to produce high-quality academic writing that reflects the intellectual capabilities of our students and scholars.

I’m David Gunkel and that is NOT my perspective as every word of this was composed by ChatGPT.

Northern Illinois University professor and author