GRAND ISLAND, N.Y. (WKBW) — University at Buffalo’s Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science showed up at Grand Island High School to explain how AI would benefit students with learning disabilities.
“So the goal of this demo is to automatically generate flashcards that speech pathologists can use to help children who are having speech difficulties,” says Alexander Stone, University at Buffalo’s PhD/ computer student.
Another UB computer science student explains how this technology would positively impact students.
“This is not like we are applying computer science to the domain. We are collaborating with the domain experts and taking their expertise and helping them use AI in this domain so there’s nothing to worry about,” says Bhuvin Jawade.
But this AI world is opening a new set of concerns for some people including the impact bringing in a new system that could have on the disability community.
“Well, we barely have resources for those who are disabled now so how would AI change that?” says a concerned resident. “I don’t think as a culture society even cares about people with those disabilities regardless so why don’t we fix the systems that are already broken rather than integrating and adding something new.”
A 6th-grade teacher from Veronica E. Connor Middle School tells 7 News reporter Yoselin Person using AI can help parents at home.
“With different crafts and projects and different tasks you can do,” says Mary Howard. “Well, you now have an educator in your back pocket to a certain extent so you have extra support at home so I think that’s a good way to look at it.”
Some may fear AI may take control of our world, but others say we humans are in control of it.
“So AI is actually not that new. The term AI itself has been going on for at least 60 70 years back,” says Venu Govindaraju, Vice President of Research and Economic Development at UB. “It’ll become like a tool like a calculator, right? It helps us do the calculations, but the decision-making is still with the human being so there will be many jobs which will be more efficient.”