Although universities remain keen to tackle inappropriate uses of generative AI (GenAI) by students, it is becoming increasingly clear that we need to talk much more openly about academics’ (mis)use of these technologies. Many Research Whisperer readers might have begun to hear stories of GenAI being used to write academic papers and research proposals, to analyse […] … learn more→
Author Archives: Kevin
Academics’ uses of GenAI – what is appropriate … and what is not?
Why comparisons between AI and human intelligence miss the point
Claims that artificial intelligence (AI) is on the verge of surpassing human intelligence have become commonplace. According to some commentators, rapid advances in large language models signal an imminent tipping point – often framed as “superintelligence” – that will fundamentally reshape society. But comparing AI to individual intelligence misses something essential about what human intelligence is. […] … learn more→
Why go on a writing retreat
I’ve been thinking about all the writing that I need to get done this year. There’s three book contracts, yes three, and a host of papers which are undoubtedly going to need revising. Looking at all this unfinished work, I feel that familiar academic mixture of determination and dread. I know exactly what needs to […] … learn more→
News sites are locking out the Internet Archive to stop AI crawling. Is the ‘open web’ closing?
When the World Wide Web went live in the early 1990s, its founders hoped it would be a space for anyone to share information and collaborate. But today, the free and open web is shrinking. The Internet Archive has been recording the history of the internet and making it available to the public through its Wayback Machine since 1996. Now, some of […] … learn more→
AI is forcing us to change the way we teach law.
In the Phaedrus , Plato tells us that Socrates distrusted the written word. He believed that committing knowledge to writing would weaken memory and discourage dialogue. Writing, he warned, is inferior to debate because it cannot respond. It only creates an appearance of wisdom, not genuine wisdom. The parallel with AI is clear. We now have systems […] … learn more→
ChatGPT is in classrooms. How should educators now assess student learning?
Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is now a reality in higher education, with students and professors integrating chatbots into teaching, learning and assessment. But this isn’t just a technical shift; it’s reshaping how students and educators learn and evaluate knowledge. Our recent qualitative study with 28 educators across Canadian universities and colleges — from librarians to engineering professors […] … learn more→
An ‘AI afterlife’ is now a real option – but what becomes of your legal status?
Would you create an interactive “digital twin” of yourself that can communicate with loved ones after your death? Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has made it possible to seemingly resurrect the dead. So-called griefbots or deathbots – an AI-generated voice, video avatar or text-based chatbot trained on the data of a deceased person – proliferate in the booming digital afterlife […] … learn more→
Our study shows younger siblings spend more time on screens than big sisters and brothers
Where kids are born in a family can be important. But it is not just about who gets more grown-up privileges or parental pressure. Research tells us firstborn children, on average, tend to do better on a range of outcomes. This includes doing better at school and being more likely to be top managers when compared to those born […] … learn more→
How Veteran support Organizations are reshaping post-Military career training
Transitioning out of military service and into the workforce is extremely difficult. It’s an uncomplicated concept. Leave the military, get a job, start your new life. But there’s so much more going on behind the scenes. Your veteran mental health plays a huge role in your ability to land civilian employment. If you don’t receive […] … learn more→
Electronics and the physical limits we ignore when we talk about AI
In recent months, a striking scene has been repeated in media specializing in the technology ecosystem: spectacular announcements about new artificial intelligence (AI) models coexisting with delays in data centers , paralyzed computing-intensive projects , and growing warnings about the physical limits of AI deployment . Public discourse often attributes these problems to energy consumption or environmental impact. But the source of the […] … learn more→
