Panel discusses the effects of AI in career field

Artificial intelligence has become a major topic of discussion among university students as the technology continues to develop and expand into education and the workplace. 

On Sept. 23, USUSA Dialogues Society organized an AI panel for students to attend and learn more about the rapidly developing technology. The panel, which included professors and department heads, addressed questions about the costs of AI, the future of certain majors and the impacts AI could have, along with case studies of AI’s influence across the nation and at Utah State University. 

Before the panel began, students ate food and talked with other students and invited professors. During the event, Sam Martin, a mechanical engineering student, shared his thoughts on AI’s potential effect on his field. 

“I think it will have a big impact because of how helpful it can be as a tool,” Martin said. “It can never replace a human, but I think it will leave people without jobs if they refuse to adapt to work with AI in my field.” 

Other students revealed different views on how AI could help or hurt them, both personally and within their majors. 

Kiley Nixon, a public relations student who also has a small business as a nail technician, said AI has already become useful to her. 

“I’m in PR, but I’m doing this major for my small business,” Nixon said. “I feel like AI helps small businesses grow as a tool that can do it all. It can help with ads or even with post ideas.” 

The student-led discussions also turned toward how USU could use AI in the future. Both Nixon and Martin agreed that the university will implement AI in some form for students and staff to use, although they had different reasons for why. 

Martin said he believes the university will eventually adapt AI as a tool. 

“I think they will adapt and use it as a tool, but I know the university won’t let us use it to skip work and cheat the system,” Martin said, “but they will find ways to make it a helpful tool.” 

Nixon pointed to the growing uses of AI in education. 

“I think USU will embrace AI because of the growing trend of uses that AI is providing for us as students and teachers,” Nixon said. 

After an hour with the panel’s professors, many students resonated with the proposed AI center situation in Box Elder County that was discussed by professors Robert Davies and Jeannie Johnson. Even during the break, students continued talking about their worries and opinions about the technology’s effects on the environment. 

As students continued their conversations, one idea came up repeatedly: AI is here to stay and has the potential to become a useful tool. 

Martin compared AI’s potential impact to the introduction of the calculator. 

“AI can be like the calculator. Many people said that the calculator would let people cheat and replace thinking, but it never came to that. It has evolved to be a useful tool for us. It will allow us to be more efficient in the future,” Martin said. 

At the same time, students acknowledged that AI comes with potential risks and that safeguards may be necessary as its use continues to grow. 

“It’s a tool no matter what, but we have to control it somehow because of its many possible risks,” Nixon said. 

As AI continues to develop, its role at USU and in students’ future careers remains an open question. While students may not know exactly how AI will pan out, it is becoming a major part of the conversation.