Vanderbilt University sent students an email of condolences regarding the shooting at Michigan State University, which left three people dead. It was created with the help of OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot.
“There is a sick and twisted irony to making a computer write your message about community and togetherness because you can’t be bothered to reflect on it yourself,” Laith Kayat, a senior and Michigan native, said. https://t.co/JnzZQo2Ncm
— Vanderbilt Hustler (@VandyHustler) February 17, 2023
The letter was sent by staff in the Peabody College Office for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI).
According to the message, the recent shooting at Michigan State University is a “tragic reminder of the importance of caring for one another.”
“As members of the Peabody campus community, we must consider the impact of such an event and ensure that we have taken all necessary steps to create a safe and inclusive environment,” the email says.
The message ends with a note about the use of AI:
“Paraphrase from the OpenAI language model ChatGPT, personal communication, February 15, 2023.”
The use of AI drew criticism from some students who said forcing a computer to write about “community and unity” because they could not do it themselves was “a painful and perverse irony.”
Nicole Joseph, Deputy Dean of EDI, apologised for “short-sightedness.”
“While we believe in the message’s commitment to inclusivity, using ChatGPT to craft it on behalf of the community in difficult times and in response to tragedy runs counter to the values of our educational institution,” she said.
Joseph also added that the moment invites reflection on current and future possibilities for AI.
According to Camilla P. Benbow, the dean of the Peabody College of Education and Human Development, her office will review what preceded the sending of the message.
“University administrators, including me, were not aware of this email before it was sent,” she said.
Joseph and assistant dean Hasina Mohyuddin will temporarily step down from their positions.
In February, a Colombian judge used ChatGPT for rendering a decision on whether insurance for a child with autism spectrum disorder should cover treatment costs.