Lesson from the backyard tree

The majestic tree stood steadfast in the yard;

A magnet for life, it struck an instant cord. 

With birds and squirrels, in its bounteous shade;

Into which the afternoon sun would dimly fade.

The shield of invincibility soon started to unveil;

The cold winds of fall stripped it to a leafy trail.

The tree which once stood against lightning and storm;

Was wilting in the cold air; losing its form.

The voracious growth and the annual leaf purge combine;

For the tree hides a secret, a profound design.

Behind every visible success and the silent toil;

Lies an invisible purge, where hard lessons coil.

~Narendra V Joshi

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I watch the tree in my backyard change with the seasons. In summer, it stands tall and full of strength. When autumn comes, it lets go of its leaves one by one, and by winter it is bare. Then spring arrives, and the tree returns even stronger, bursting with fresh growth.

This cycle is a lesson for us. Like the tree, we must let go of ego and old habits, unlearn what no longer serves us, and relearn new skills. Each time we do, we come back stronger, renewed, and ready to grow beyond where we were before.

GenAI for Work, Homework, and the Parenting Dilemma in the AI Age

I was stepping out after dropping my kids off at their class when I heard someone call my name. I turned around and saw two friends waving at me. It had been a while since I had last met them. We huddled together and exchanged pleasantries. We talked about the different classes our kids take and discussed our work lives. Our conversation then shifted to Generative AI and ChatGPT, and each of us expressed our amazement at ChatGPT. One of my friends mentioned that his eldest child had been using ChatGPT to complete school assignments. He was unhappy that the child relied on ChatGPT for everything and wasn’t thinking critically. His concern was that children are becoming lazy with GenAI and might lose their cognitive abilities by becoming overly dependent on ChatGPT. After a while, we said our goodbyes, and I started back home, still thinking about that conversation. My friend's statement about kids' dependence on ChatGPT kept echoing in my mind.

Should we allow kids to use ChatGPT at all?

Now, this is a tricky question. In my opinion, there is really no right or wrong answer, and I have points to support and counter both sides.

• First, my thoughts on why kids shouldn’t be allowed to use ChatGPT: My friend is right—ChatGPT can make kids lazy. This is the age when they need to learn and grow, developing their cognitive and intellectual abilities. They should acquire skills like time management, researching answers, discerning right from wrong, and applying their knowledge to achieve desired results. All of this comes through effort and focus. If kids rely on ChatGPT for instant answers, they might only learn to copy and paste. Is that what we want for them? What will kids with copy-paste skills do in life? You can’t copy-paste food into your stomach, nor can you live in a copy-paste house.

• But then, why shouldn’t kids use ChatGPT, especially if they are using it to supplement their other knowledge sources? Let’s look back at our high school and college days. Those were the days when computers were gaining prominence, and there was a lot of talk about how we, as kids, were becoming lazy because we depended on computers for everything. The so-called guardians of society called us out for losing our ability to write with a pen since we were more accustomed to typing on a keyboard. We were also blamed for dwindling library attendance because we could search for answers on the internet. Yet, for the most part, we turned out fine. Yes, we may not write as much as our forefathers did, but hey—I rarely use a pen except for signing a document or a check once every few months or years.

 

If you decide to allow kids to use ChatGPT, where do you draw the line? 

I think this is the question that parents should ask. I do not think it is wise as a parent to not allow my kids to use ChatGPT, because learning ChatGPT is also a skill. Who knows maybe there will AI engineers and AI engineering is a top job in the future; just like how we took up computers and software engineering is one of the top jobs now. But it is also important for us parents to ensure our kids are not overly dependent on ChatGPT. ChatGPT cannot be the first and only source of their information. It should be their last source of information and should be used more as a validation of their understanding, knowing very well that LLM’s too can make mistakes.

All this begs the most obvious question. What is that one career track that can survive ChatGPT?

Honestly, I have no idea which jobs are truly safe from AI. Tech magazines and sci-fi movies proclaim AI and robots will eventually replace every well-paying job we have today. According to experts, the only jobs considered safe are those requiring social and interpersonal skills—like caregivers.

So, where does that leave all the kids in school today? I have no clue.

On a lighter note, if there's one job I think AI won’t take over anytime soon, it's that of a temple priest. Temple priests have already proven themselves to be both COVID-proof and recession-proof. From what I know, they are well-paid and have a steady income. Sun or rain, we go to the temple. Whether life is smooth sailing or we’re going through a rough patch, we still go. And let’s be honest—no matter how advanced AI gets, our minds are not trained to bow and fall at a robots feet or accept prasadam from one.

So, if you're looking for an AI-resistant, recession-proof, and well-paying career, temple priesthood might just be the way to go!

~Narendra V Joshi