(LEX 18) — As tech leaders urge for a pause on the artificial intelligence race, some Kentuckians are preparing for the possibility of an even more advanced future.
From fear to excitement, people are all over the spectrum on their approval of the latest form of artificial intelligence (AI), Chat GPT, and for what its introduction might mean.
For App Harvest, advancements in AI mean more steps they can take in their mission to grow, harvest and trade food more sustainably.
Chief communications officer for AppHarvest, Travis Parman, says they currently use AI to optimize the environment for plant health and through their prototype robotic harvesters who work alongside human crop specialists.
“We’re getting as much production as possible using a few resources as possible,” said Parman."The more technology that we can apply to get more efficient, the better."
The Appalachian-based company builds and operates some of the world’s largest high-tech indoor farms.
Parman met with LEX 18 at their newly-opened 15-acre salad leaf farm powered mainly by the sun and rain water.
While App Harvest has been loudly embracing robots and AI for a few years, this year, Kentuckians are starting to use them kind of all over the place at hospitals, restaurants and schools.
Earlier this month, the University of Kentucky unveiled their new recycling tool, Oscar- AI.
The tool uses a camera to analyze objects and determine if they can be recycled. Senior recycling & waste reduction specialist, Ryan Lark, says their hope is that it will help them reach their goal of zero waste by 2030 and educate students.
"I think that waste is such an important issue because everyone produces it, every single day,” said Lark. “It's very important to make sure people understand what is and what isn't recyclable."
At Eastern Kentucky's School of Business and Technology, Dr. James Blair is already talking to his students about Chat GPT and the use of advanced AI in marketing.
"From my standpoint, I see this as a tool in the marketplace and I try to discuss that with our students and I would say in the near future, we'll be embedding this within our curriculum as well,” said Blair.
He says businesses are already using the tool to market to consumers by analyzing data faster .
”They're able to get that data instantaneously versus them doing the Google search and then manually having to go through all those web pages and websites. So it's even speeding up that decision making process for consumers or information search processes," said Blair.
Blair says there are still factors that come with advancement that people consider cons.
"Whether it's robotics, animation, artificial intelligence, those are things that can replace humans. That's the whole thing about artificial intelligence: they're doing those human-like tasks," said Baird.
A recent report by investment bank Goldman Sachs’s Global Investment Research Team says that AI could replace 7% of US jobs. They predict 63% of jobs could see some tasks taken.
Professors nationwide have also expressed concern about integrity in education and plagiarism. Baird responds by challenging educators to get creative and work with it.
"It's really important for us as professors and educators to stay on top of those tools and resources because we want to be educating our students for that tomorrow," said Blair.
Some states have already started to regulate AI. Kentucky has not.
The Governor's office did not respond to our request for comment by the time this story was written.
