MARLEN SARMIENTO

Hello, I’m Marlen. Over the summer, I’ve been caring for loved ones and improving my skills to have a better grasp on various software from Adobe Creative Cloud and relearning HTML/CSS. 

How have I been using AI in my daily life?

I have always been wary when it comes to using AI like ChatGPT. It reminds me of the Arts and Crafts Movement with William Morris; however, I have used AI without realizing it. I use streaming services and music apps that use AI to provide suggestions based on what I interact with. I’ve used Face ID and looked through my social feed that AI personalized based on what I like. I’ve used Grammarly for spelling and grammar, but have been hesitant to use its other features. As what AI Snake Oil mentions on page 14, what we take for granted, AI starts to blend in. 

How have I been using AI in my digital design courses?

As for my design courses, I started using ChatGPT in my Interactive Media I for filler text in the prototypes we create. I have been reluctant to use it beyond filler text and name suggestions. It does come to a point where I must work with these services more. I started using Google Stitch and Gemini when brainstorming and planning for my thesis project over the summer with the help of my mentor :). 

What’s something surprising I learned from the reading assignments?

In the article “Could AI Slow Science,” I learn about the “production-progress paradox” and how there is plenty being published, but not enough towards new discoveries. AI has the potential to help, but as of right now, it would also still focus on quantity rather than quality and transformative research. As for AI Snake Oil, on page 10, I found it surprising that companies have been using predictive AI to predict the recovery time of a patient. As a result, one individual was still left in pain while their insurance stopped paying. 

What’s something surprising I learned from the AI literacy lecture?

Something surprising I learned was the data training section (tokenization). I am still trying to fully understand it, but overall, it helps showcase how artificial AI can be and how the tokens assigned can differ between the AI, like GPT or Gemini, and the output. 

What are some things I can currently do better than AI?

Google Stitch helps create a vision of an interface with the prompt I provide; however, the screens generated can look off, might not align with the standards, or when asking for readjustments, it doesn’t apply them. I’ve also noticed that AI can still give surface-level answers, which gives me the opportunity to go in-depth, have a more authentic, and better approach and understanding of the problem. When it comes to graphic visuals, many generated by AI still give off this unpleasant AI look that feels unnatural, inconsistent, or rushed.