President Biden signed an executive order regarding the safety of AI development and use on Oct. 30. It includes protection of consumers and their privacy, advances civil rights and equity, and creates new safety standards by requiring companies using AI software to disclose safety test results to the government. 

Ever since AI use and development became mainstream and entered the public eye, it’s been subject to controversy and harsh criticism, specifically with the worry of deep fakes and individual’s art being used without permission to train AI art software.

AI has also spread discrimination and bias through AI-made art and writing, leading to putting a bad light on those who are already discriminated against. The new executive order helps protect against that. It ensures that AI is being used to improve quality of life by making our lives easier and protecting against using AI for hacking, rather than to spread hate or bias.

Besides protection from the bad parts of AI, the executive order works to encourage the good aspects. The order is going to encourage companies and governments to use AI to find flaws in security systems to help improve them. AI also functions as a very helpful tool for many people, especially students and educators. 

FVHS English teacher Tristan McKinny is very familiar with AI and its uses, and overall thinks it’s a good tool to use.

“I love AI personally. I think it can serve a very vital purpose, and it could help with critical thinking if used properly,” said McKinny. 

McKinny has used AI with her students to acknowledge how it can be used and when it’s okay to use it. As an English teacher, she has faced many times where students have tried to use AI-generated work to pass off as their own.

“I really think it’s important for students to understand how it impacts their academic integrity and how it can be used as a supplement versus a primary source for their work,” McKinny said.

While AI can be very helpful, there’s no denying the harmful impact it’s had too, specifically the problem with cheating students .

“I think it’s important to acknowledge where information is being pulled from so that we, as the user, can decide what kind of sources we might use,” said McKinny