TL;DR: There is an open letter going around to all Dutch universities about the uncritical usage of AI in academia. If you are or know a student/lecturer/PhD in the Netherlands, please send it forward!
You can find the open letter here.
Since the rise of GPT 4.0 a few years ago, AI and large language models have been invading every single aspect of daily life. This is done mostly uncritically: we are supposed to accept that it is "the future" and "inevitable", but people don't stop to think if it's even a good idea. This even happens in academica, where entire AI based courses and degrees have shot up from the ground like poisonous mushrooms.
Studies have shown that AI is polluting, often wrong, plagiarising, reduces the ability of people to critically think, and contributes to eugenics and colonisation. It is even being used for political (facist!) ends. I could go on forever.
That is why Dutch academics have come together to write an open letter to all universities of The Netherlands and their executive boards. In the letter, they give good arguments against the use of AI in academia, and demand the universities to
Resist the nonconsensual introduction of AI into software systems;
Ban AI use in classrooms;
Fortify academic freedom and
Keep critically thinking about AI.
Academia has a responsibility to keep thinking critically and not to simply accept these changes. Not just to the students, but to society as a whole. Because if the universities will not resist, then who will?
As always, our strength lies in numbers. Therefore, I ask every person in Dutch academia to please sign this letter. Whether you are a student, professor, lecturer, PhD candidate or supporting university staff member, your voice counts. You can do so here:
They also made a paper that explores their arguments in great detail, so even if you aren't able to sign the letter I highly recommend checking it out! You can find it on the page of the letter, all the way at the bottom of the page.
Thank you so much for sharing,