UAE: How AI Is A 'Game Changer' In Academics And Industry Educators Urge 'Honest' Use

As thousands of fresh graduates enter the workforce each year in the UAE, the debate surrounding the 'correct' use of AI (artificial intelligence) is becoming an increasingly important topic of discussion, spanning both academia and industry.

Recent graduates and students are using AI to remain relevant in an increasingly technology-driven world, as failing to do so could result in falling behind . Many are calling on their universities to embrace the tech instead of shunning it. Still, reactions to the use of AI – while generally positive – are varied.

Such is the case of coastal engineer Khaled Elkersh, who after graduating, wished he had learned more about AI at university. When he was a student, AI use wasn't widespread, and very few were well-versed in it.

When he started working, he noticed AI was prevalent in his field despite its distance from software engineering. Elkersh was taken aback by how far AI had progressed from its beginnings during his university years.“I was a bit surprised at how capable these tools are. Things that used to take hours can now be done in minutes,” he told Khaleej Times.

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The engineer noted that AI is only getting more popular, and its uses expand daily.“You see it being used for things like design automation, data analysis, and even report writing,” he added.

Reduce busy work

Elkersh uses AI, particularly ChatGPT, to reduce busy work. He uses the Large Language Model (LLM) to convert images to text, read through lengthy documents, and provide concise summaries.

While AI can't do complicated engineering tasks, Elkersh said its primary use for engineers was saving time . He and his team can now delegate repetitive tasks to AI and focus on solving more significant problems.

For engineering students pressed for time with coursework, Elkersh recommended learning to use AI effectively above all else. The engineer said it's no replacement for consistent studying and hands-on work and shouldn't be considered an“alternative” to anything.

“I'd definitely encourage them [students and engineers] to get familiar with AI. It's a game-changer for saving time and boosting productivity.”

'It's all about organisation'

Although workplaces are integrating AI into their workflows, educational institutions have been more hesitant.

Dara Varam, a machine learning master's student and researcher, said universities aren't yet accustomed to“on the books” AI use. He said that engineering professors and pupils actively use AI, but only to a limited extent, to avoid repercussions.

He said AI helped him connect ideas more than problem-solving;“it allows you to view things from different perspectives and draw parallels you otherwise wouldn't recognise.” This pattern recognition is what he said helped him in his research.

“Even if it's a loose connection, GPT and other programs will let you know it's there.”

Varam admitted, noting that, at this stage, AI should only be used for organisation – as it can only do what it's been taught.

While its learning data is vast, AI doesn't allow independent creative thought, which he said is the distinguishing human element in engineering.

The researcher warned against over-dependence, saying that as online resources are ignored in favour of ChatGPT , the information the AI is trained on runs out.“Essentially, we could reach a point where GPT can no longer 'solve' new issues as all the information available is outdated, and some might even be generated by it. It's like an information singularity,” he noted.

Open and monitored setting

Professionals and students have readily accepted AI and integrated it into their workflows, but academics remain at odds with how to handle it despite acceptance.

Professor Payyazhi Jayashree, dean of University of Wollongong Business School, noted that AI has become inescapable, saying:“The future of business is dependent on leveraging AI in strategic ways to drive business growth and competitiveness.”

Jayashree noted University of Wollongong's curriculum includes several AI-based courses focusing on“Predictive and Prescriptive Analytics, advanced Data Science tools, and Generative AI.”

Equally important as the know-how of AI, however, is the cautious understanding of it. To this end, Middlesex University Dubai's head of Computer Engineering and Informatics (CEI), Professor Fehmida Hussain, said they started offering dedicated courses that explore AI's technical, ethical, and societal dimensions.

While AI classes are crucial to AI education, monitored student use is equally important. According to Professor Giacomo Chiozza of the American University of Sharjah, the best way to teach students with the correct use of AI is to allow them to use it in an open and monitored setting.

“Transparency and honesty are very important. AI should not be something we use in secret as if it were a dirty thing,” he said

Chiozza, who teaches political science, said his students can use AI if they document their every use in an AI declaration. The professor added that he permits“AI as a research assistant that prepares some basic materials for us to work on with our intuition, skills, and curiosity,” provided proper APA citation is used.

While all three professors agreed on the importance of introducing AI into their curriculums, they disagreed on its effect.

Jayashree believes that AI automation will phase out entry-level job and argues that 'reskilling' will be imperative for surviving in the new job market. On the other hand, Hussain said that for new graduates, AI is an“enabler rather than a barrier” and will ensure they're not caught off guard when they start working.

Chiozza said that a human 'premium' element will always be more highly valued, even at the start of one's career. He said,“no one wants to be known as someone who wears a fake Rolex, and the same applies to the uses of AI.”

Reflecting on the conversation, Chiozza concluded with a cautious remark:“I wrote this myself without using AI. Who knows what AI would do to it.”

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