A Computer Scientists Perspective on AI
Charles A. Dana Professor of Computer Science Ed Harcourt has been working with AI for more than three decades, starting in grad school. These days, he says upper-level students are leveraging the department’s high-performance computer (affectionately named
“Ada,” after the world’s first computer programmer Ada Lovelace) to train their own artificial intelligence models for innovative research projects.
This summer, under Harcourt’s guidance, Amanda Gagne ’25 is focusing on enhancing cybersecurity, using AI to devise strategies that can harden systems against increasingly sophisticated AI-driven cyber-attacks. Norah Kuduk ’25 is utilizing AI to more quickly develop a cross-platform physical therapy app that aims to guide users through customized physical therapy routines, complete with animated instructions and countdowns, making physical therapy more accessible and user-friendly.
Meanwhile, Associate Professor of Computer Science Lisa Torrey is working with Cooper Anderson ’25, who is developing sophisticated AI models for sound classification, working with a massive database of audio files to create systems that can accurately categorize different sounds.
Still, Harcourt is cautious about incorporating AI into lower-level courses. In his foundational classes, like Introduction to Computer Programming, Harcourt advises students to practice problem-solving without relying on AI assistance and warns them, “You won’t be able to use AI on any of the tests.”
In his course on Data Structures, which is a gateway to upper-level classes, he expects students to solidify their understanding without the aid of AI, ensuring they have a strong grasp of the concepts and skills needed for more advanced topics.
“AI can’t replace learning basic concepts because what AI gives you still needs to be able to be read and understood. We know that AI sometimes outputs nonsense, what some call a ‘hallucination’ and you need to be able to discern the good from the bad,” he says.
Already AI can produce sophisticated code in a fraction of the time it takes a human to write it. Harcourt says that AI has already replaced programmer positions by making existing programmers more efficient.
“People in white-collar jobs are going to have to rethink their job descriptions over the coming years because this technology will affect all of them,” he predicts. “It’s also going to create a ton of opportunity—there’s a gazillion new AI companies out there that are also hiring.”
Ronnie Olesker, government professor and associate dean for Faculty Affairs, acknowledges there are those in higher education who view AI as an existential threat to their existence. Her view is more optimistic.
“Sure, there are things that AI will be able to do for us better and faster, so let’s let it do those things,” she says. “But I say this technology reveals an even greater need for the liberal arts, because it demands that we become more of a critical thinker, more of an assessor, and more the person who can make connections. Technology will never be able to connect personally, to create community, to mobilize people, to work together, and to critically reflect. So that’s our role as humans and I think that’s our role in teaching. Those are skills that we’ve been teaching forever.”
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