AI: the Medium is the Message

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Feb 18, 2025

Dive into the fascinating intersection of AI and academia, exploring how tools like OpenAI can accelerate research while posing challenges like citation accuracy. Discover the transformative power of communication technology, echoing Marshall McLuhan's theories on how mediums shape perceptions and societal change. The conversation also balances the creative potential of amateurism against professional norms, questioning the ethical implications of rapid innovation and championing responsible engagement in a tech-driven world.

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ANECDOTE

AI-Generated Dissertation

Andrew Maynard used OpenAI's Deep Research to write a PhD dissertation on polycrises.
While the research was substantial, citations were inaccurate, requiring significant editing.

INSIGHT

AI as a Research Tool

AI tools accelerate research by providing a usable base, much like finding a partially built boat.
Users can refine and expand upon this foundation, adding their own insights and expertise.

INSIGHT

Adapting to AI's Pace

The rapid evolution of AI tools requires constant adaptation.
Even familiar software changes frequently, necessitating continuous learning and troubleshooting.

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Join Sean Leahy and Andrew Maynard as they navigate the evolving landscape of technology and its influence on our personal and professional lives. The conversation addresses OpenAI’s Deep Research and others growing role in academic work, highlighting both its value in accelerating research and its limitations—particularly around citation accuracy and the need for genuine human interpretation. Drawing on concepts like Marshall McLuhan’s “the medium is the message” and historical analogies such as the electric light, they illustrate how one technological leap can trigger vast societal changes in the 'adjacent possible' space. Throughout, they consider the balance of gains and losses that come with rapid innovation, the merits of amateurism in driving creative breakthroughs, and the importance of responsible, permissionless innovation. Ultimately, this dialogue underscores how human ingenuity, paired with emerging technologies, can open new frontiers while preserving the essence of what makes us uniquely human.

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Modem Futura is a production of the Future of Being Human initiative at Arizona State University. Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. To learn more about the Future of Being Human initiative and all of our other projects visit - https://futureofbeinghuman.asu.edu

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Host Bios:

Sean M. Leahy, PhD - ASU Bio
Sean is an internationally recognized technologist, futurist, and educator innovating humanistic approaches to emerging technology through a Futures Studies approach. He is the Executive Director for the Future of Being Human Initiative and Research Scientist for the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and Senior Global Futures Scholar with the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University.

Andrew Maynard, PhD - ASU Bio
Andrew is a scientist, author, thought leader, and Professor of Advanced Technology Transitions in the ASU School for the Future of Innovation in Society. He is the founder of the ASU Future of Being Human initiative, Director of the ASU Risk Innovation Nexus, and was previously Associate Dean in the ASU College of Global Futures.

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