[Policy Pulse] Scientific Calculators, AI, and the Transformation of Universities

Lack of AI Usage Standards on Campus
Swift Response Needed for Innovation in Administration, Teaching, and Research

It reminds me of when scientific calculators first appeared at universities in the past. Not everyone used calculators at that time. Professors did not recommend purchasing them for classes, assignments, or exams, and it was up to each student to decide whether to buy and use one as needed. However, over time, scientific calculators became essential tools for solving complex mathematical and engineering problems, going beyond simple calculations. As these tools were allowed in classes, assignments, and exams, engineering education also evolved to embrace this trend.

The current situation surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) at universities is not much different. The number of available AI tools is steadily increasing and infiltrating our daily lives. In fields such as industry and management, AI transformation (AX or AIX), similar to the digital transformation (DX) of the past, is now progressing. However, some still maintain traditional methods for teaching and research. While the era of scientific calculators does not exactly mirror the current AI era, the lack of clear guidelines is a similarity. AI's disruptive power and penetration as a tool far exceed that of scientific calculators, but the preparation and progress for unified AI usage at universities remain individualized and fragmented.

Given the current government's strong interest in fostering AI, I hope to see special initiatives to promote its use in education, research, and university administration. Of course, the unique characteristics of each institution should be considered, but there should be active efforts to drive change in administrative information systems, student learning, and teaching. We should provide guidelines so that students can use AI to organize vast amounts of information, offer new perspectives, and become partners in expanding their thinking. Areas prone to issues such as uncritical dependence, plagiarism, and data distortion can be addressed through university-led education and preparation.

The role of professors is likely to change even more. Professors should transform from mere transmitters of knowledge to guides and coaches in students' fields of study, focusing on organizing new teaching materials and making the best use of class time. Rather than process-based evaluation, I believe professors should allow the use of ChatGPT, review students' prompts, and help guide their thinking process to foster critical thinking skills.

Finally, university administrations need to actively promote AI usage by preparing AI literacy education, ethical guidelines, supporting interdisciplinary research and innovation, and assisting both professors and students. This support should help students become proactive AI users, and enable professors to innovate in teaching, research, and minimize time spent on administrative tasks.

AI may be the new "calculator" of our era. Change and innovation at universities through AI will only be possible when members understand, accept, and utilize AI, and when collaborative models between humans and between humans and AI are established. Creating an environment where we can learn, verify, and create together with AI might be the wisest way for education to respond to change. I am reminded of the saying that the strongest species is not the most powerful, but the one that adapts most quickly to change. It also brings to mind how, in the 19th century, the British mobility market, shaped by reliance on horse-drawn carriages, failed to embrace the advent of automobiles due to regulations like the Red Flag Act, ultimately ceding leadership in the automotive industry to Germany and the United States. All of these serve as lessons for our universities, which are being urged toward change and innovation.

Choi Kijoo, President of Ajou University