Latest news with #UniversityofMississippi
NDTV
a day ago
- Science
- NDTV
To Gatekeep Or Let Lose? Parents Face Tough Choices On AI
United States: When it comes to AI, many parents navigate between fear of the unknown and fear of their children missing out. "It's really hard to predict anything over five years," said Adam Tal, an Israeli marketing executive and father of two boys aged seven and nine, when describing the post-generative AI world. Tal is "very worried" about the future this technology holds for his children -- whether it's deepfakes, "the inability to distinguish between reality and AI," or "the thousands of possible new threats that I wasn't trained to detect." Mike Brooks, a psychologist from Austin, Texas, who specialises in parenting and technology, worries that parents are keeping their heads in the sand, refusing to grapple with AI. "They're already overwhelmed with parenting demands," he observed -- from online pornography and TikTok to video games and "just trying to get them out of their rooms and into the real world." For Marc Watkins, a professor at the University of Mississippi who focuses on AI in teaching, "we've already gone too far" to shield children from AI past a certain age. Yet some parents are still trying to remain gatekeepers to the technology. "In my circle of friends and family, I'm the only one exploring AI with my child," remarked Melissa Franklin, mother of a 7-year-old boy and law student in Kentucky. "I don't understand the technology behind AI," she said, "but I know it's inevitable, and I'd rather give my son a head start than leave him overwhelmed." Benefits and risks The path is all the more difficult for parents given the lack of scientific research on AI's effects on users. Several parents cite a study published in June by MIT, showing that brain activity and memory were more stimulated in individuals not using generative AI than in those who had access to it. "I'm afraid it will become a shortcut," explained a father of three who preferred to remain anonymous. "After this MIT study, I want them to use it only to deepen their knowledge." This caution shapes many parents' approaches. Tal prefers to wait before letting his sons use AI tools. Melissa Franklin only allows her son to use AI with her supervision to find information "we can't find in a book, through Google, or on YouTube." For her, children must be encouraged to "think for themselves," with or without AI. But one father -- a computer engineer with a 15-year-old -- doesn't believe kids will learn AI skills from their parents anyway. "That would be like claiming that kids learn how to use TikTok from their parents," he said. It's usually "the other way around." Watkins, himself a father, says he is "very concerned" about the new forms that generative AI is taking, but considers it necessary to read about the subject and "have in-depth conversations about it with our children." "They're going to use artificial intelligence," he said, "so I want them to know the potential benefits and risks." The CEO of AI chip giant Nvidia, Jensen Huang, often speaks of AI as "the greatest equalisation force that we have ever known," democratising learning and knowledge. But Watkins fears a different reality: "Parents will view this as a technology that will be used if you can afford it, to get your kid ahead of everyone else." The computer scientist father readily acknowledged this disparity, saying, "My son has an advantage because he has two parents with PhDs in computer science, but that's 90 percent due to the fact that we are more affluent than average" -- not their AI knowledge. "That does have some pretty big implications," Watkins said.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Science
- The Hindu
Anxious parents face tough choices on AI
When it comes to AI, many parents navigate between fear of the unknown and fear of their children missing out. "It's really hard to predict anything over five years," said Adam Tal, an Israeli marketing executive and father of two boys aged seven and nine, when describing the post-generative AI world. Tal is "very worried" about the future this technology holds for his children, whether it's deepfakes, "the inability to distinguish between reality and AI," or "the thousands of possible new threats that I wasn't trained to detect." Mike Brooks, a psychologist from Austin, Texas, who specialises in parenting and technology, worries that parents are keeping their heads in the sand, refusing to grapple with AI. "They're already overwhelmed with parenting demands," he observed, from online pornography and TikTok to video games and "just trying to get them out of their rooms and into the real world." For Marc Watkins, a professor at the University of Mississippi who focuses on AI in teaching, "we've already gone too far" to shield children from AI past a certain age. Yet some parents are still trying to remain gatekeepers to the technology. "In my circle of friends and family, I'm the only one exploring AI with my child," remarked Melissa Franklin, mother of a 7-year-old boy and law student in Kentucky. "I don't understand the technology behind AI," she said, "but I know it's inevitable, and I'd rather give my son a head start than leave him overwhelmed." The path is all the more difficult for parents given the lack of scientific research on AI's effects on users. Several parents cite a study published in June by MIT, showing that brain activity and memory were more stimulated in individuals not using generative AI than in those who had access to it. "I'm afraid it will become a shortcut," explained a father of three who preferred to remain anonymous. "After this MIT study, I want them to use it only to deepen their knowledge." This caution shapes many parents' approaches. Tal prefers to wait before letting his sons use AI tools. Melissa Franklin only allows her son to use AI with her supervision to find information "we can't find in a book, through Google, or on YouTube." For her, children must be encouraged to "think for themselves," with or without AI. But one father, a computer engineer with a 15-year-old, doesn't believe kids will learn AI skills from their parents anyway. "That would be like claiming that kids learn how to use TikTok from their parents," he said. It's usually "the other way around." Watkins, himself a father, says he is "very concerned" about the new forms that generative AI is taking, but considers it necessary to read about the subject and "have in-depth conversations about it with our children." "They're going to use artificial intelligence," he said, "so I want them to know the potential benefits and risks." The CEO of AI chip giant Nvidia, Jensen Huang, often speaks of AI as "the greatest equalisation force that we have ever known," democratising learning and knowledge. But Watkins fears a different reality: "Parents will view this as a technology that will be used if you can afford it, to get your kid ahead of everyone else." The computer scientist father readily acknowledged this disparity, saying "My son has an advantage because he has two parents with PhDs in computer science, but that's 90 percent due to the fact that we are more affluent than average" -- not their AI knowledge. "That does have some pretty big implications," Watkins said.
Eyewitness News
a day ago
- Science
- Eyewitness News
Anxious parents face tough choices on AI
NEW YORK - When it comes to AI, many parents navigate between fear of the unknown and fear of their children missing out. "It's really hard to predict anything over five years," said Adam Tal, an Israeli marketing executive and father of two boys aged seven and nine, when describing the post-generative AI world. Tal is "very worried" about the future this technology holds for his children -- whether it's deepfakes, "the inability to distinguish between reality and AI," or "the thousands of possible new threats that I wasn't trained to detect." Mike Brooks, a psychologist from Austin, Texas, who specializes in parenting and technology, worries that parents are keeping their heads in the sand, refusing to grapple with AI. "They're already overwhelmed with parenting demands," he observed -- from online pornography and TikTok to video games and "just trying to get them out of their rooms and into the real world." For Marc Watkins, a professor at the University of Mississippi who focuses on AI in teaching, "we've already gone too far" to shield children from AI past a certain age. Yet some parents are still trying to remain gatekeepers to the technology. "In my circle of friends and family, I'm the only one exploring AI with my child," remarked Melissa Franklin, mother of a 7-year-old boy and law student in Kentucky. "I don't understand the technology behind AI," she said, "but I know it's inevitable, and I'd rather give my son a head start than leave him overwhelmed." 'BENEFITS AND RISKS' The path is all the more difficult for parents given the lack of scientific research on AI's effects on users. Several parents cite a study published in June by MIT, showing that brain activity and memory were more stimulated in individuals not using generative AI than in those who had access to it. "I'm afraid it will become a shortcut," explained a father of three who preferred to remain anonymous. "After this MIT study, I want them to use it only to deepen their knowledge." This caution shapes many parents' approaches. Tal prefers to wait before letting his sons use AI tools. Melissa Franklin only allows her son to use AI with her supervision to find information "we can't find in a book, through Google, or on YouTube." For her, children must be encouraged to "think for themselves," with or without AI. But one father -- a computer engineer with a 15-year-old -- doesn't believe kids will learn AI skills from their parents anyway. "That would be like claiming that kids learn how to use TikTok from their parents," he said. It's usually "the other way around." Watkins, himself a father, says he is "very concerned" about the new forms that generative AI is taking, but considers it necessary to read about the subject and "have in-depth conversations about it with our children." "They're going to use artificial intelligence," he said, "so I want them to know the potential benefits and risks." The CEO of AI chip giant Nvidia, Jensen Huang, often speaks of AI as "the greatest equalization force that we have ever known," democratizing learning and knowledge. But Watkins fears a different reality: "Parents will view this as a technology that will be used if you can afford it, to get your kid ahead of everyone else." The computer scientist father readily acknowledged this disparity, saying "My son has an advantage because he has two parents with PhDs in computer science, but that's 90 percent due to the fact that we are more affluent than average" -- not their AI knowledge. "That does have some pretty big implications," Watkins said.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Greystar partners with University of Mississippi on modular dorm
This story was originally published on Multifamily Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Multifamily Dive newsletter. Property: Kincannon site, West Row site Developer: Greystar, University of Mississippi Location: Oxford, Mississippi Units: 2,700 beds (total) Cost: Withheld Charleston, South Carolina-based Greystar is tapping its modular construction pipeline to build on-campus housing for over 2,700 students at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi. The multifamily giant is on track to open two new residence halls at Ole Miss by 2027, developed in a public-private partnership with the university. Greystar is set to collaborate with university leaders, industry experts and Mississippi-based businesses to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the site, according to the release. More than 70% of the on-site construction work will be available to local and regional subcontractors. 'By leveraging our modular construction capabilities and working closely with local partners, we're able to deliver efficient, sustainable communities that support student success while contributing to Mississippi's economy,' said Julie Skolnicki, senior managing director of university partnerships at Greystar, in the news release. The West Row site, located across from the UM School of Law, will add 1,500 beds, a new dining hall and over 1,500 parking spaces. Another 1,200 beds are slated for the former site of Kincannon Hall, a 540-bed student dorm built in 1963, closed in 2015 and demolished in 2023, according to The Daily Mississippian. A new parking garage is already under construction at the Kincannon site. Portions of the buildings will be prefabricated by Greystar's modular construction business, Modern Living Solutions, at its factory in Knox, Pennsylvania, in order to shorten construction timelines and lower costs for students, according to the release. Living options will include suites and semi-suites. Public-private partnerships for residential development are a relatively new practice in Mississippi, according to Steven Holley, vice chancellor for administration and finance at the University of Mississippi. The University of Mississippi selected the model in an effort to meet the needs of an expanding student base, modernize campus infrastructure in the long term and save university resources for other priorities, including new academic and research facilities, according to Holley. 'At the heart of our mission lies our unwavering commitment to giving students the best experience possible, which is why this project is vital to addressing one of the most important aspects of the student experience: housing,' added Glenn Boyce, chancellor of the University of Mississippi, in the release. 'This transformative partnership with Greystar will provide a unique and exceptionally efficient approach to expanding housing options on campus.'
NZ Herald
a day ago
- Science
- NZ Herald
Anxious parents face tough choices on AI, from concern at what it might do to fear of their kids missing out
For Marc Watkins, a professor at the University of Mississippi who focuses on AI in teaching, 'we've already gone too far' to shield children from AI past a certain age. Yet some parents are still trying to remain gatekeepers to the technology. 'In my circle of friends and family, I'm the only one exploring AI with my child,' remarked Melissa Franklin, mother of a 7-year-old boy and a law student in Kentucky. 'I don't understand the technology behind AI,' she said, 'but I know it's inevitable, and I'd rather give my son a head start than leave him overwhelmed.' 'Benefits and risks' The path is all the more difficult for parents given the lack of scientific research on AI's effects on users. Several parents cite a study published in June by MIT, showing that brain activity and memory were more stimulated in individuals not using generative AI than in those who had access to it. 'I'm afraid it will become a shortcut,' explained a father-of-three who preferred to remain anonymous. 'After this MIT study, I want them to use it only to deepen their knowledge.' This caution shapes many parents' approaches. Tal prefers to wait before letting his sons use AI tools. Melissa Franklin only allows her son to use AI with her supervision to find information 'we can't find in a book, through Google, or on YouTube'. For her, children must be encouraged to 'think for themselves', with or without AI. But one father – a computer engineer with a 15-year-old – doesn't believe kids will learn AI skills from their parents anyway. 'That would be like claiming that kids learn how to use TikTok from their parents,' he said. It's usually 'the other way around'. Watkins, himself a father, says he is 'very concerned' about the new forms that generative AI is taking, but considers it necessary to read about the subject and 'have in-depth conversations about it with our children'. 'They're going to use artificial intelligence,' he said, 'so I want them to know the potential benefits and risks.' The chief executive of AI chip giant Nvidia, Jensen Huang, often speaks of AI as 'the greatest equalisation force that we have ever known', democratising learning and knowledge. But Watkins fears a different reality: 'Parents will view this as a technology that will be used if you can afford it, to get your kid ahead of everyone else'. The computer scientist father readily acknowledged this disparity, saying: 'My son has an advantage because he has two parents with PhDs in computer science'. 'But that's 90% due to the fact that we are more affluent than average' – not their AI knowledge. 'That does have some pretty big implications,' Watkins said. -Agence France-Presse
