The Intersection of Critical Thinking Skills and AI: Ethics, Governance, and Policy

Sponsored by Sage

Recorded on 11/20/2023
Posted in The Authority File

Episode 361

In the third episode of this four-part series, Dr. Leo Lo of the University of New Mexico, Katie Metzler of Sage Publishing, and author and tech philosopher Dr. Tom Chatfield dig into the ethics and institutional policies for generative AI tools. Surfacing the lack of widespread AI governance, the guests highlight the need for institutions to provide guidance to educators and students. In fact, they underscore the benefits of viewing AI training as a collaborative experience between undergraduates and faculty, aided by support from administration, the library, and publishers. Further, our guests speak to key ethical questions surrounding the use of GenAI in the classroom. Leo spotlights issues around the digital divide, while Tom warns of the dangers in using AI tools as a one-size-fits-all solution to the holistic needs of today’s students. Finally, Leo, Tom, and Katie discuss the bias and discrimination present in AI training data, the importance of reducing “noise” in datasets, and examples of what biases can generate in large language models.

About the guests:

Dr. Tom Chatfield
Author, Tech Philosopher

Dr. Tom Chatfield (@TomChatfield) is a British author and tech philosopher. He’s interested in improving our experiences and understanding of technology. His most recent book is How to Think (SAGE Publishing, 2021).

Tom’s non-fiction books exploring digital culture, including How To Thrive in the Digital Age (Pan Macmillan) and Live This Book! (Penguin), have appeared in over thirty languages. His bestselling critical thinking textbooks and online courses, developed in partnership with SAGE Publishing, are used in schools and universities across the world. He’s also an experienced Chair, Non-Executive Director, advisor and speaker across the private and public sectors.

Tom’s debut novel, This is Gomorrah (Hodder), was published in July 2019. It was a Sunday Times thriller of the month, shortlisted for the CWA Steel Dagger for thriller of the year, and won France’s 2020 Prix Douglas Kennedy for the year’s best foreign thriller.

Topics he’s written about recently include the ethics of AI, what it means to think well, technology in deep time and the philosophy of fake news.

Leo S. Lo, EdD, MLIS, MFA
Dean and Professor, College of University Libraries and Learning Sciences
University of New Mexico

Dr. Leo S. Lo is a respected academic leader with a passion for integrating artificial intelligence in library science and education. As the Dean and Professor of the College of University Libraries and Learning Sciences at the University of New Mexico, he guides library operations and university programs. Dr. Lo’s extensive academic background includes a doctorate degree in Higher Education Management from the University of Pennsylvania; an MLIS degree from Florida State University; as well as master’s degrees in screenwriting, and survey research.

Dr. Lo is a recognized author and speaker on topics such as library science, leadership, and education. His focus on AI’s role in library services and information literacy initiatives led to his current leadership role in UNM’s AI literacy effort. As the President-Elect of ACRL, Dr. Lo continues to champion the advancement of academic libraries and their critical role in higher education.

Katie Metzler
VP of Books and Social Science Innovation
SAGE Publishing

Katie Metzler is Vice President for Books & Social Science Innovation at Sage Publishing. She has led editorial and product management teams to develop new resources and digital products for social scientists. Much of her work has centred on creating resources that enable academic researchers to learn and apply robust research methodology. Katie believes deeply in the power of the social sciences to help us understand and improve society. In addition to her role at Sage, she sits on the board of the Campaign for Social Science, the board for The Conversation UK and the advisory board for SOPs4RI, a large European Commission project on research integrity.

Enjoy the conversation? Listen to the rest of the series:

• Benefits, Pitfalls, and Setting the Scene
• Tactics for Effective Use
• Current Strategies and Moving Forward

Resources mentioned in the episode:

• “How AI reduces the world to stereotypes,” Rest of World

Check out our previous series with Sage:
– Building Skills for Student Success
– Understanding the Undergraduate Workflow
– Spotlighting Academic Library Innovation
– The Myth of the COVID-Transformed Workplace
– Preparing Diverse Students for Success in the Academic and Private Sectors

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