GenAI community discussion, 18th June

[SJaffa]

GenAI + Teaching: New Community Discussion

Can someone attend to represent Manchester and feed back to the rest of us in the next monthly training meeting?

[andrewgait]

I didn't quite realise when I signed up that this was the first in a series of discussion events on the topic, but I will continue to attend them where I can. There were other UoM-based people (particularly SSI) present, including @amangoel185.

Below are the notes I made; there was also a collaborative notes document. Happy to reprise / summarise these at a future training meeting.

---

We watched a video by Elle O'Brien (University of Michigan) titled "Wait, is everybody using Claude Code?" to inform questions/discussion.

Then we went into a bit more detail on the most popular questions in the pad:

• What technical setup do you use if you're introducing the use of AI tools? Free to use vs easy to install vs scaffolding to help?

  • mistral.ai
  • local ollama in a container
  • institutional ollama host

• How many institutions offer their members/students hosted LLMs that can be used without cost? Claude is expensive and risks serious lock ins. Other tools offer students accounts and free credits, but aren't these just obvious lock-in traps?

  • The answers to this were a full mix of yes/no/other (see the pad for more details)

• What are the implications on equity and access? Even before Fable was suspended, the pricing model was such that it raises questions about affordability. How do we deal with situations where "tech access" becomes stratified depending on affluence?

  • If universities are setting up their own systems, we're heading into a near future where we have a very heterogeneous situation which makes it more difficult for Carpentries-style projects
  • What happens if projects (suddenly) become too expensive due to AI tools / LLM use?
  • Is there going to be a big jump in token prices before/when the AI bubble bursts?
  • Difference between novice and other use

• Is it possible to learn coding without learning problem-solving (I guess no), Is it possible to learn problem-solving by outsourcing your brain to an LLM (I guess no), how should we then teach coding with LLMs?

  • One attendee talked about a course they ran which moved from problem-solving with pencil & paper, then to coding, then to coding with the help of LLMs
  • In the chess world, grandmasters now train themselves by playing against chess engines, is there a way that something like this could work with an LLM as a "pair programmer" - learning opportunities
  • One attendee talked about their course on support tools for accounting concepts (journal entries, adjusting), not a replacement, students need to know foundations before they start using an LLM

[andrewgait]

Looking on the Carpentries calendar, the next meeting is on July 23rd at 1pm so I have signed up for that.

@SJaffa should we convert this issue into a general one on Carpentries GenAI community discussions, and I'll keep adding comments relating to the discussions?