On the Absurdities of AI – The Dangers of AI-Driven Research
At the university where I teach there has been an explosion of AI-obsessing this past year. Responses have ranged from overly alarmist claims that AI is going to destroy education (or at least make us redundant), to wildly overselling the promises and benefits of AI. As someone who dabbles in the digital humanities, but also spends time playing with new technologies, I think both positions are wrong.
AI isn’t going to destroy the world of higher ed or education more generally.
AI is also not going to radically change everything we know and how we do it. Like all technological innovations, AI will make some things better and others worse.
AI has made content generation quicker and easier, which as made some menial tasks easier and faster, which is good. It has also led to an explosion of technological abuses, from online disinformation campaigns to an explosion of sexually-explicity deep fake content, which is bad.
Here I want to focus on something a bit more banal but still important in my world–how AI is shaping academic research. This is inspired by a recent experience with ChatGPT that, to me, was a helpful reminder of the danger of blindly assuming AI makes us smarter or can act as a substitute for critical thinking and real research.
Since the spring semester ended, I’ve been doing research on the history of culture war rhetoric in the US and earlier cultural debates for a book I am working on. As part of this work I found myself looking for more details about the public and political debates around passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1866, a landmark (and often forgotten) piece of US rights legislation passed in the aftermath of the Civil War.
In the hopes of getting some useful starting resources to dig into this topic further, I asked ChatGPT for some research help. Here is how the conversation unfolded. My prompts are in red, and ChatGPT’s responses are in black.
Me: Can you identify any books or scholarly articles written about the Civil Rights Act of 1866.
ChatGPT:
“Certainly! The Civil Rights Act of 1866 was a landmark piece of legislation in the United States aimed at granting citizenship and civil rights to African Americans. Here are a few books and scholarly articles that discuss this important law:
- “The Civil Rights Act of 1866: A Legal History in Documents” by Landmark Legislation of the United States
– This book provides a collection of primary source documents related to the Civil Rights Act of 1866, offering insights into its historical context, drafting, and impact. - “The Civil Rights Act of 1866: A Reexamination” by Gabriel J. Chin
– Gabriel J. Chin’s article, published in the Stanford Law Review, offers a reexamination of the Civil Rights Act of 1866, exploring its significance and limitations in the context of Reconstruction-era America. - “The Civil Rights Act of 1866: History and Impact” by Eric Foner
– Eric Foner, a prominent historian of Reconstruction, has written extensively on this period in American history. His works often discuss the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and its implications for African American citizenship and rights. - “The Civil Rights Act of 1866: A Legal History” by Robert J. Kaczorowski
– This scholarly article, published in the Columbia Law Review, delves into the legal history of the Civil Rights Act of 1866, examining its passage, interpretation, and legacy. - “Race and Reconstruction: The Civil Rights Act of 1866 Revisited” by Ariela J. Gross
– Ariela J. Gross explores the Civil Rights Act of 1866 in the context of race and Reconstruction in this article, offering insights into its impact on American society and law.
These are just a few examples, but there is a wealth of literature available for those interested in studying the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and its historical significance.”
Okay, so far so good I thought. These seem like a useful jumping off point. I’m already familiar with the work of Eric Foner, so I was not surprised to see his name pop up here. So now let’s track down those sources…and that’s when the utopian promises of AI began to unravel.
Me: Can you provide more information about the first sources listed, “The Civil Rights Act of 1866: A Legal History in Documents” by Landmark Legislation of the United States. I am unable to find this book or any references to it.
ChatGPT:
“I apologize for the confusion; it seems there might have been a misunderstanding. It appears I provided a hypothetical title rather than an actual book. There isn’t a specific book titled “The Civil Rights Act of 1866: A Legal History in Documents” by “Landmark Legislation of the United States” as I mentioned.
However, there are indeed various books and compilations that include primary source documents related to the Civil Rights Act of 1866. One example is:
- “Reconstruction: Voices from America’s First Great Struggle for Racial Equality” edited by Brooks D. Simpson
- This book compiles primary source documents, including speeches, letters, and legislative texts, related to the Reconstruction era, which includes the Civil Rights Act of 1866. It provides firsthand accounts and perspectives from that time.
I appreciate your understanding, and I’m here to assist you further if you have any more questions or need additional information!”
Me: Can you provide more information about the second source listed, The Civil Rights Act of 1866: A Reexamination” by Gabriel J. Chin. I am unable to find this or any references to it.
ChatGPT:
“I apologize for any confusion. It seems I made an error in providing a specific source. Gabriel J. Chin is a legal scholar who has written extensively on civil rights and constitutional law, but there might not be a specific article with that exact title.
However, Gabriel J. Chin has contributed to the scholarly discussion surrounding civil rights legislation and related topics. Some of his works that might touch on the Civil Rights Act of 1866 or related issues include:
- “The Civil Rights Revolution Comes to Immigration Law: A New Look at the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965” – This article by Gabriel J. Chin, published in the North Carolina Law Review, examines the intersection of civil rights and immigration law, which may indirectly touch upon themes related to the Civil Rights Act of 1866.
- “The Plessy Myth: Justice Harlan and the Chinese Cases” – While not directly about the Civil Rights Act of 1866, this article by Gabriel J. Chin, published in the Iowa Law Review, discusses the legal reasoning behind Justice John Marshall Harlan’s dissent in Plessy v. Ferguson, a case that dealt with racial segregation and equal protection under the law.
- “Segregation’s Last Stand” – Another article by Gabriel J. Chin, published in the Michigan Law Review, which examines the legal and social factors contributing to the end of legal segregation in the United States, which could indirectly relate to the historical context of the Civil Rights Act of 1866.
While these specific works may not directly address the Civil Rights Act of 1866, Gabriel J. Chin’s scholarship generally engages with civil rights issues and related legal history, making his writings valuable resources for understanding the broader context of civil rights legislation in the United States.”
Me: Can you provide more information about the first source listed, The Civil Rights Act of 1866: History and Impact” by Eric Foner. I am unable to find this or any references to it.
ChatGPT:
“I apologize for the confusion. It appears I provided another hypothetical title rather than an actual book or article by Eric Foner specifically titled “The Civil Rights Act of 1866: History and Impact.” While Eric Foner is a highly respected historian who has written extensively on Reconstruction and civil rights history, there might not be a specific work with that exact title.
However, Eric Foner has authored several books and articles that explore the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and its historical significance. Some of his notable works related to this topic include:
- “Reconstruction: America’s Unfinished Revolution, 1863-1877” – In this Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Foner provides a comprehensive examination of the Reconstruction era, including the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and its impact on American society.
- “Forever Free: The Story of Emancipation and Reconstruction” – This book by Eric Foner delves into the complexities of Reconstruction, including the legal and social implications of legislation such as the Civil Rights Act of 1866.
- “The Second Founding: How the Civil War and Reconstruction Remade the Constitution” – While not solely focused on the Civil Rights Act of 1866, this book by Foner discusses the broader context of Reconstruction and its impact on American constitutional law and civil rights.
- “A Short History of Reconstruction” – This concise overview by Eric Foner provides insight into the Reconstruction era, including discussions of key legislation like the Civil Rights Act of 1866.
While these works may not specifically bear the title “The Civil Rights Act of 1866: History and Impact,” they offer valuable insights into the historical context, significance, and impact of this landmark legislation.”
Me: Can you provide more information about the fifth sources listed, Race and Reconstruction: The Civil Rights Act of 1866 Revisited by Ariela J. Gross. I am unable to find this or any reference to it.
ChatGPT:
“It seems I made another mistake in providing a specific source. While Ariela J. Gross is indeed a legal historian who has written about race and Reconstruction, there might not be a specific work with the exact title “Race and Reconstruction: The Civil Rights Act of 1866 Revisited.”
However, Ariela J. Gross has contributed to the scholarly discussion surrounding race, Reconstruction, and civil rights history. Some of her works that might touch on the Civil Rights Act of 1866 or related issues include:
- “What Blood Won’t Tell: A History of Race on Trial in America” – In this book, Ariela J. Gross examines how racial identity has been constructed and contested in American courts, which may indirectly touch upon themes related to the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and its legal implications.
- “Becoming Free, Becoming Black: Race, Freedom, and Law in Cuba, Virginia, and Louisiana” – While focusing on different geographical and historical contexts, this book by Gross explores the intersections of race, freedom, and law, which could provide insights into the broader themes of Reconstruction and civil rights.
- “What Slaveholders Think: How Contemporary Perpetrators Rationalize What They Do” – While not directly related to the Civil Rights Act of 1866, this book by Gross delves into the mindset of slaveholders and how they justified their actions, providing context for understanding the legal and social dynamics of Reconstruction-era America.
While these specific works may not directly address the Civil Rights Act of 1866 under the title provided, Ariela J. Gross’s scholarship generally engages with issues of race, Reconstruction, and civil rights, making her writings valuable resources for understanding the broader historical context of civil rights legislation in the United States.”
Me: Well ChatGPT, you are a colossal waste of time, thanks!
ChatGPT:
“ChatGPT can make mistakes. Check important info.”
That’s the understatement of the year! Perhaps the folks running OpenAI should update their generic ChatGPT message to something more like: “ChatGPT often hallucinates and completely makes stuff up. Use at your own risk.”
Sadly, this was not the first time I have had a research hallucination conversation with ChatGPT. But it was an important reminder that no matter how much AI is hyped, it is still just a computer spitting out random data with a limited ability to critically evaluate that content. That’s precisely why I’m not worried that AI is going to put educators out of business; although if we are not careful it may make us dumber!
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