Watching #TheMission (1986) in light of the current AI crisis in #HigherEducation.

The other day I happened to re-watch this 1986 #film by #RolandJoffé. I had last seen it 40 years ago when it came out. It has aged quite well. The depiction of the indigeneous #Guaraní people is embarrassingly superficial. And the idea that the Jesuit order was a benevolent force is of course laughable. But as a story of an institution that willingly sacrifices its purpose and moral integrity in a power game, the film works.

I can't help drawing parallels to the current AI corruption of higher education.

In Cardinal Altamirano (played by the excellent #RayMcAnally), we see the manager who knows that his action destroys the very rationale of his institution, yet he does it. The two priests (Jeremy Irons and Robert de Niro) are the ground-level staff who stay true to their calling and fight, in different ways. They vanish. Years later, the manager has the luxury of regret.

#StopTheAICorruption

Inspector Lestrade did not try to hide his pride. "Charlotte, our new AI agent, really is the ticket. We gave her the data and she found the murderer within seconds. We have arrested Jones, the plumber. Not sure whether we will need your services much longer, Holmes," he laughed. "Charlotte does the work." Sherlock smiled drily.

What can one do about someone like Lestrade, Watson, he said to me once we sat in the cab. Someone who can't think can't see the truth even when it stares them in the face. Jones would never have twisted the compression coupling counter-clockwise, he's a trained plumber, for Heaven's sake! It was Lord Jenkins who removed the pipe, ignorant of the nature of the fittings. Hence the scratch marks on the brass. Lestrade will call on us again by evening. It is Tuesday, Watson, I believe Mrs Hudson has some cake for us. We can keep some for Lestrade.

#SherlockHolmes #InspectorLestrade #HolmesAndWatson #StopTheAICorruption #noLLM

Higher Education's march toward our eventual genAI suicide continues.

N is an enthusiastic young colleague who's been promoting genAI all along. This week he shares a new paper he's written. In it we find a lengthy list of the dangers of genAI and why we shouldn't be using it. Wait, what? Is this the same guy?

Let's read on. What is N's solution to the recognised genAI failure? "Agentic AI." Ah, that's where we're heading!

A long list of agentic AI's presumed powers follows, along with presumed supporting pedagogical theory. No reference to actual practice: like Sam Altman we trade on future promises.

The soulless, person-less future we are promised, without any hint of irony: "AI as a collaborative partner"; "from AI as a servant to AI as a learning companion".

Heaven help us.

#StopTheAICorruption #HigherEducationChatter

@Remittancegirl

This post, and the whole thread, touches on very deep truths. It helps me understand the troubling ressons why so many good people get caught by the current AI hype. Lots to reflect on. Thank you.

#StopTheAICorruption

Sir Alfred persisted: I understand your reasoning entirely, Ma'am, but I'm afraid that ship has sailed. AI is here to stay. People bank on it. We must build an AI tool into our app.

Our Lady Joan Mastodon rose. She spoke in forced calm. My dear Sir Alfred, I thought I had myself clear. I said no. Please enjoy your mutton chop. Let us not talk any more.

She sat down again and stayed silent for the rest of the meal.

Later, over coffee, she relaxed a little. I saw her chat with Lady Kinneret, her trusted comrade from the pre-protocol days. "Ships are sailing, tools are staying, people are banking, oh my dear Kinny, when will our men stop mixing their metaphors? It tires me so." The banter went on late into the night.

#JoanMastodon #noAI #StopTheAICorruption

We owe it to our students to let them experience real learning.

Vibe learning ain't learning. Vibe learning is machine-aided shuffling of dead text. Vibe learning is empty.

Real learning is the construction of truth, aided only by the student's sense of the authenticity of their encounter with the subject. The resulting text may be flawed, but it is alive, it reflects the subject's wish to be known. Real learning is full.

#noVibeLearning #noLLM #teaching #HigherEducation #StopTheAICorruption