HutchCC Students Have Mixed Views on DLS Speaker’s Views on AI

By Lizzie Rush
Editor In Chief
IG: liz.rush

The history of Artificial Intelligence spans decades.

While many may think of AI as ChatGPT or X’s “Grok” feature, AI actually began in the 1950’s hen scientist, Alan Turing, begged the question, “can computers think?”

AI enthusiast, Taryn Southern, was the latest Dillon Lecture Series speaker on Tuesday at the Sports Arena. Southern’s journey with AI began nearly a decade ago, and in 2018 she recorded the first ever AI pop album titled “I AM AI”. Southern has since produced and co-directed a documentary titled “I AM HUMAN”, began working in neurotech, and started teaching a college class about how to detect “AI slop”.

In a press release sent out by the Hutchinson Community College marketing department, chair of the Dillon Lecture Series committee, Susan Buttram, said, “Taryn Southern brings a unique perspective on the intersection of technology, creativity and human potential. Her work exploring emerging technologies and storytelling will offer our audience an exciting look at how innovation is shaping the future.”

While some students and staff at HutchCC were enthusiastic about Southern’s appearance at the college, there were some who did not agree with her lecture.

“Her pop album is not music. AI music is not real music. AI art is not real art,” said Maize freshman, Cole Whitcomb, “Her thing about technology pushing the art industry forward is not true. People still go to operas, people still go to ballets, and people still go to art exhibitions. People still go to concerts. People love music. People don’t want to listen to something that was made by something that doesn’t have a brain.

Topeka freshman, Christian Montaini, agreed with Whitcomb in regards of Southern’s pop album.

“It’s not creativity if you make something else do it for you,” Montaini said.

Burlington freshman Ty Steffens said he doesn’t believe creativity should come from AI.

“She is relying on AI to make her creativity come true,” Steffens said.

Finn Jantz of Andale said, “Half of what makes art good is that it’s human made.”

During her press conference prior to her lecture, Southern said she has learned to mix traditional creativity with modern touches.

“I was a creative who had essentially learned all these things, journalism, filmmaking, the old-fashioned way, and was now there’s this new tool to understand how this could change the creative process. I was blown away,” Southern said.

Southern sees AI not as a replacement for doing hard work, but as a way to help the creative process.
“People who really end up succeeding with these tools are people who can think in multidisciplinary ways, who can take their existing skill set and their existing skill set and then use a tool to substitute skills that they don’t actually have,” Southern said.

Maize freshman, Zeke Harper, agrees with Southern’s take on AI.

“I think it’s cool. There’s a certain amount of respect that comes from being made by a human, and the authenticity of it being made by a human. AI music can sound cool, but it’s not human,” Harper said. “I think AI kind of applies to anything, whether you’re using it to write memos or using it to write whatever. It can do its job.”

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