[ Theme Music ] ON THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF NEW YORK NOW, WE EXAMINE THE RECENT RULING ON NEW YORK'S CONGRESSIONAL MAPS, THE REACTIONS FROM ELECTED OFFICIALS AND IT'S POTENTIAL IMPACT ON ELECTIONS NEXT YEAR.

THEN WE LOOK INTO THE BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES THAT COME WITH TEACHERS USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN CLASSROOMS.

I'M SHANTEL DESTRA AND THIS IS NEW YORK NOW.

[ Theme Music ] I WILL FIGHT LIKE HELL FOR YOU EVERY SINGLE DAY LIKE I'VE ALWAYS DONE AND ALWAYS WILL.

WELCOME TO THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF NEW YORK NOW.

I'M SHANTEL DESTRA.

THE DRAMA SURROUNDING NEW YORK'S CONGRESSIONAL MAPS IS NOWHERE NEAR ITS END.

THIS WEEK, THE STATE'S COURT OF APPEALS RULED THE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT LINES NEED TO REDRAWN.

THESE WERE THE MAPS DRAWN BY A SPECIAL MASTER - AND USED IN LAST YEAR'S ELECTION CYCLE - AFTER THE MAPS SUBMITTED BY DEMOCRATS WERE THROWN OUT BECAUSE OF GERRYMANDERING.

BUT, NOW THE COURT HAS KICKED THE RESPONSIBILITY OF DRAWING THE MAPS, ONCE AGAIN, TO THE BIPARTISAN INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION.

THE BODY WILL HAVE UNTIL FEBRUARY TO SUBMIT MAPS TO THE LEGISLATURE.

THE RULING WAS A BIG WIN FOR DEMOCRATS AND COMES AT A TIME WHEN THE PARTY IS VYING TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - AND AFTER REPUBLICAN WINS IN 2022 ULTIMATELY PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN THE PARTY GAINING CONTROL OF THE CHAMBER.

EARLIER THIS YEAR, GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL AND STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL LETITIA JAMES ISSUED A BRIEF CALLING FOR THE MAPS USED IN LAST YEAR'S ELECTIONS TO BE THROWN OUT - AND WERE AMONG DEMOCRATS CELEBRATING THE COURT OF APPEALS RULING.

MEANWHILE, NEW YORK REPUBLICANS DECRIED THE RULING AS CORRUPT.

FOR MORE ON THE RULING AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR ELECTIONS NEXT YEAR, WE'RE JOINED BY VAUGHN GOLDEN OF THE NEW YORK POST AND ZACH WILLIAMS OF BLOOMBERG LAW.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE.

THANKS FOR HAVING US.

THANK YOU.

NOW, I WANTED TO TOUCH ON THIS RULING, OF COURSE, BUT FIRST I WANTED TO ASK DID IT COME AS A SURPRISE, OR WAS IT SOMETHING THAT, IF YOU WERE PAYING ATTENTION TO NEW YORK STATE POLITICS, YOU WOULD HAVE SEEN THIS COMING FROM A MILE AWAY?

I THINK THE RULING WAS EXPECTED IN FAVOR OF THE DEMOCRATS JUST BECAUSE THE BALANCE OF POWER ON THE COURT OF APPEALS IN THE STATE'S HIGHEST COURT HAS CHANGED OVER THE PAST YEAR.

YOU MIGHT RECALL THE BATTLE OVER HECTOR LaSALLE, GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL'S UNSUCCESSFUL NOMINATION TO LEAD THE COURT.

HE WAS KNOWN AS A MUCH MORE MODERATE JURIST, AND PEOPLE WERE WONDERING HOW HE MIGHT RULE ON A CASE LIKE THIS.

WHEREAS ROWAN WILSON, WHO IS NOW THE CHIEF JUDGE, WAS ACTUALLY ALREADY ON THE COURT AND HAD RULED IN DEMOCRATS' FAVOR LAST TIME AROUND, AND THIS TIME AROUND, HE DID AS WELL.

ESPECIALLY WITH CAITLIN HALLIGAN TOO, HOCHUL'S PICK TO FILL ROWAN WILSON'S VACATED ASSOCIATE JUDGE SEAT, SHE RECUSED HERSELF.

SO ROWAN WILSON, KIND OF SHOCKINGLY, PICKED ANOTHER JUDGE TO FILL THAT ROLE, WHEREAS PREVIOUSLY THAT WOULDN'T BE FILLED UNLESS THERE WAS NOT A QUORUM ON THE COURT.

SO THERE WERE SOME TEA LEAVES GOING IN FOR SURE.

YEAH, DEFINITELY.

YOU BROUGHT UP HECTOR LaSALLE, RIGHT?

WHO COULD FORGET ABOUT THAT?

HOCHUL, OF COURSE, SHE HAD A VERY INTERESTING YEAR LAST YEAR, FILLED WITH A LOT OF HIGH HIGHS AND LOW LOWS, HECTOR LaSALLE BEING ONE OF THEM.

IS THIS A WIN FOR THE GOVERNOR HEADING INTO THE NEW YEAR?

IT'S EASY TO FORGET, BECAUSE IT SEEMS SO LONG AGO, THAT THE GOVERNOR, IN HER FIRST INTERVIEW AS GOVERNOR IN 2021, EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR THE IDEA OF GERRYMANDERING TO HELP DEMOCRATS GAIN CONTROL OF THE U.S. HOUSE.

SO SINCE THEN, DEMOCRATS IN NEW YORK HAVE LOST SEVERAL SEATS, NOT LEAST BECAUSE SHE KIND OF UNDERPERFORMED IN THE GUBERNATORIAL CAMPAIGN IN 2022.

SO NOW THAT DEMOCRATS HAVE A CHANCE TO KIND OF MAKE UP FOR THOSE MISTAKES IN THE PAST, I WOULD PUT THIS AS A WIN IN THE GOVERNOR'S COLUMN.

WOULD YOU AGREE?

I THINK IT CERTAINLY CAN'T HURT DEMOCRATS' PROSPECTS TO HAVE MORE CONTROL OVER REDRAWING THE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS AGAIN.

AND OF COURSE REPUBLICANS HAVE COME OUT AND DENOUNCED THIS.

THEY ARE SAYING IT'S CORRUPT POLITICS.

DO THEY HAVE A CASE OR A CHANCE OF CHALLENGING THIS IN COURT?

CERTAINLY.

THE PROCESS MOVING FORWARD, THIS WILL GO BACK TO THE IRC.

THEY GET A CHANCE TO SEND IT TO THE LEGISLATURE.

IF ULTIMATELY THE LEGISLATURE DENIES TWO SETS OF MAPS THIS TIME, THEN IT COULD GIVE LICENSE FOR THE LEGISLATURE TO DRAW THE MAPS.

AND REGARDLESS, THE REPUBLICANS CAN CHALLENGE IT IN COURT EVEN IF THE CONSTITUTION IS FOLLOWED TO A TEE, THEY CAN CHALLENGE IT ON THE ACTUAL SUBSTANTIVE GROUNDS OF THE MAPS THEMSELVES.

AND THAT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THE COURTS HANDLE THAT.

IT'S ALMOST GUARANTEED, WHATEVER MAPS COME OUT, THAT THEY WILL BE CHALLENGED BY REPUBLICANS IN COURT AND THE COURTS WILL HAVE TO HOLD THEM UP.

SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO THAT IS HOW DEMOCRATS HANDLE THE IDEA OF COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST.

UNDER THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF THE 1960s, PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO BE KIND OF COMBINED INTO CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS WITH PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, BASED ON EITHER RACIAL GROUPS, MAYBE ECONOMIC GROUPS, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER IT IS, COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST.

SO TAKE BRANDON WILLIAMS' DISTRICT IN CENTRAL NEW YORK, HE WON IT VERY NARROWLY, AND THE IDEA HAS POPPED UP TO MAYBE ATTACH -- SYRACUSE IS A BIG PART OF THAT DISTRICT.

DEMOCRATIC HELD CITY, LOTS OF RURAL AREAS, SUBURBAN AREAS FROM THERE WHERE REPUBLICANS HAVE BETTER CHANCES.

BUT IF YOU ADD ITHACA IN THE SOUTHERN TIER OF THAT, COLLEGE TOWN, VERY DEMOCRATIC, MAYBE COURT LAND AS WELL, YOU'RE TAKING A RACE WHERE REPUBLICANS WON IN 2022 BY A FEW THOUSAND AND ADDING A BUNCH OF YOUNG VOTERS, LIBERAL VOTERS.

NOW, YOU COULD ARGUE THAT SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY, BIG CITY, BIG UNIVERSITY IN A CITY, YOUNG PEOPLE, IS A COMMUNITY OF INTEREST WITH ITHACA, ALSO A LIBERAL CITY.

SO IF THEY CAN KIND OF CHANGE THINGS AROUND THE MARGINS IN WAYS THAT MAKE AT LEAST LOGICAL SENSE IN A COURTROOM, THEN I THINK THESE MAPS COULD BE UPHELD.

THAT SAID, IF THEY DO THINGS WHERE THEY JUST KIND OF MAKE LONG TRAILS OF LAND TRYING TO CONNECT THINGS IN STRANGE WAYS THAT DON'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE, THE REPUBLICANS HAVE A BETTER CHANCE TO CHALLENGE.

BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF PROVISIONS IN THE 2014 AMENDMENTS TO THE STATE CONSTITUTION, COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST BEING ONE OF THEM, AND THAT REALLY HELPS THE ABILITY TO KIND OF JUSTIFY WHAT MAY LOOK LIKE A GERRYMANDERED MAP, BUT THAT CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS ALSO ALLOTS FOR RACIAL DISPARITIES FOR FAVORING AND NOT FAVORING INCUMBENTS, FAVORING ONE POLITICAL PARTY OVER THE OTHER.

SO THERE ARE A LOT OF PROVISIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION THERE, SO YOU CAN KIND OF JUSTIFY IT ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT LINES.

YEAH, AND THE IRC HAS UNTIL FEBRUARY TO PRODUCE A NEW MAP TO THE LEGISLATURE, AND THERE IS A LOT OF FEAR THAT IT COULD POTENTIALLY IMPACT PRIMARY ELECTIONS THIS YEAR -- OR NEXT YEAR.

DO YOU SEE THAT AS A FEAR, AND HOW WOULD DEMOCRATS KIND OF NOT WORK TO DO THAT?

I SEE DEMOCRATS, AT LEAST IN SOME KEY RACES, STARTING TO SETTLE ON SOME CANDIDATES AHEAD OF TIME.

SO I THINK -- YOU KNOW, MONDAIRE JONES, THE FORMER CONGRESSMAN WHO'S ANGLING TO CHALLENGE MIKE LAWLER, THE REPUBLICAN INCUMBENT, IT SEEMS LIKE HE'S GOT AN OPEN PATH TO BE THE NOMINEE NO MATTER HOW THE DISTRICT MIGHT CHANGE AROUND THE EDGES.

THAT SAID, JUST LIKE WE'VE SEEN BEFORE, SUDDEN CHANGES CAN UP-END EVERYTHING, AND WE'VE ALREADY SEEN LIKE PEOPLE THAT WERE KIND OF SHOVED TO THE SIDE BY THE PREVIOUS REDISTRICTING RUN -- CAROLYN MALONEY IN MANHATTAN, WHO LOST A RACE TO JERROLD NADLER, COULD RE-ENTER POLITICS IF SOMEHOW THE IRC PICKS DISTRICTS -- AND THE LEGISLATURE APPROVES THEM -- THAT KIND OF JUST SHAKE THINGS UP IN WAYS THAT WE DON'T SEE RIGHT NOW.

RIGHT.

AND THAT HASN'T REALLY NECESSARILY STOPPED FOLKS FROM RUNNING IN DISTRICTS THEY DON'T LIVE IN.

THERE ARE A FEW MEMBERS OUT THERE WHO HAD TO MOVE.

BRIAN HIGGINS WAS ONE OF THEM.

THE DISTRICT WAS DRAWN JUST OVER THE LINE FROM HIS HOUSE.

AND A NUMBER OF MEMBERS.

SO -- MONDAIRE JONES RAN IN NEW YORK CITY LAST TIME.

EXACTLY, YEAH.

AND THIS IS REMINDING ME, OF COURSE, OF SEAN PATRICK MALONEY.

WE'RE BRINGING UP ALL THESE NAMES.

ARE YOU HEARING ANYTHING FROM THEIR CAMPAIGNS OR PEOPLE WHO HAVE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THEM TO INDICATE THEY MIGHT BE CONSIDERING MAKING A POLITICAL COMEBACK?

WE DID HEAR MALONEY, I THINK IT WAS SPECTRUM NEW YORK ONE, I FORGET THE REPORTER'S NAME, WHO DID REPORT THAT MALONEY SAID, IF THE DISTRICT IS DRAWN IN A WAY THAT SHE COULD RUN, SHE WOULD RUN.

BUT I THINK FOR THE MOST PART EVERYONE IS JUST CIRCLING THE WAGONS WAITING FOR THE MAPS TO COME OUT, AND WE'LL JUST DEAL WITH IT AS THEY DO.

THIS IS POLITICS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THOUGH.

THESE PEOPLE WIN POPULARITY CONTESTS FOR A LIVING.

I THINK A LOT OF THEM, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE LOST THEIR LAST RACE AND DIDN'T LEAVE CONGRESS ON THEIR OWN TERMS, YOU KNOW, WE DEAL WITH THESE PEOPLE A LOT.

THEY WANT TO BE IN THE ACTION.

THEY FEEL THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD.

WHEN POLITICAL OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS, I THINK A BUNCH OF THEM ARE GOING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.

IT DEPENDS ON THE DISTRICT TOO.

IF THEY'RE DRAWN INTO A DISTRICT THAT'S A LOT MORE COMPETITIVE, MAYBE THEY DON'T WANT A REALLY TOUGH RACE.

SO IT COULD DEPEND ON WHAT KIND OF DISTRICT THEY END UP WITH TOO.

AND WE'RE ABOUT A YEAR FROM ELECTIONS NEXT YEAR.

SO ARE NEW YORK VOTERS REALLY PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS?

IS THIS TOP OF MIND AS THEY'RE HEADING TO THE POLLS?

REALLY CAN'T NOT BE, TO KNOW WHAT DISTRICT YOU'RE VOTING IN.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONJECTURE ABOUT THE CONFUSION THAT THIS INSTILLS OVER EVERYTHING.

I REMEMBER BEING OUT IN ITHACA LAST YEAR WHERE WE HAD SIMULTANEOUSLY A PRIMARY AND A SPECIAL ELECTION FOR TWO DIFFERENT CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS -- I BELIEVE THAT WAS LAST AUGUST.

I CAN'T EVEN KEEP THEM STRAIGHT AT THIS POINT.

SO, ABSOLUTELY, I THINK IT HAS TO BE ON THE MINDS OF VOTERS.

AND IF THIS DOESN'T GO WELL FOR DEMOCRATS, DO YOU THINK THAT IT WOULD HINDER VOTERS COMING OUT TO VOTE IN SUPPORT OF THE PARTY?

I DON'T THINK WE SAW DEPRESSED VOTER TURNOUT IN LAST YEAR'S ELECTIONS.

MORE THAN -- SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY DIFFERENT IS IT'S A PRESIDENTIAL YEAR, GOT JOE BIDEN ON THE BALLOT, DONALD TRUMP, THE ULTIMATE DEMOCRATIC TURNOUT MACHINE, HE'S LIKELY TO BE THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE.

I THINK WHAT PEOPLE DO HERE AT THIS POINT IS JUST KIND OF DISORGANIZATION, CHAOS, THAT NEVER HELPS THE PARTY IN POWER, NOT LEAST THE GOVERNOR, WHO MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO INFLUENCE EVERYTHING, BUT SHE'S THE ONE AT THE TOP.

THAT SAID, I THINK VOTERS ARE GOING TO ENGAGE A LOT MORE WHEN WE GET CLOSER, WHEN A LOT MORE CANDIDATES HAVE DECIDED WHETHER THEY'RE GOING TO RUN OR NOT RUN WHEN WE SEE MORE ADS, AND JUST GENERALLY WHEN THE POLITICAL CONVERSATION PICKS UP AFTER THE HOLIDAYS.

BUT I THINK DEMOCRATS ESPECIALLY ARE BANKING ON HUGE TURNOUT IN THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE.

THEY GOT ABORTION ON THE BALLOT NO LESS, AS WELL CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.

SO THEY'RE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO JUST KIND OF PUMP VOTER INTEREST INTO THIS RACE.

AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

AFTER SUCH A DISAPPOINTING 2022 CYCLE.

BUT ALSO NONCOMPETITIVE DISTRICTS DON'T EXACTLY ENCOURAGE THOSE POLITICIANS TO BE RUNNING ADS, TO BE DOING GROUND GAME, TO BE KNOCKING ON DOORS.

SO HAVING COMPETITIVE DISTRICTS AND KIND OF ALL OF THE -- EVERYTHING THAT FOLLOWS WITH THAT HELPS TOO.

AND YOU MENTIONED COMPETITIVE DISTRICTS, AND YOU ALSO MENTIONED SYRACUSE.

SO ARE THERE ANY OTHER POCKETS OF THE STATE THAT DEMOCRATS COULD BE LOOKING INTO TO REDISTRICT TO THEIR BENEFIT?

STATEN ISLAND WOULD BE ON THAT LIST.

WHAT ABOUT LONG ISLAND?

IS THERE ANY CHANCE IN ANY WORLD THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO PULL SOMETHING OFF IN LONG ISLAND?

I MEAN, LOOKING AT LAST YEAR AND NASSAU COUNTY GOING RED, THERE'S A LOT OF RED ON LONG ISLAND THESE DAYS.

THAT SAID, I BELIEVE REPUBLICANS PICKED UP, WHAT, SIX SEATS?

FIVE OF THEM WERE CLOSE RACES.

LONG ISLAND, I BELIEVE, ONE OF THE RACES FAR ON THE EAST END IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE TOUGH FOR DEMOCRATS.

BUT A LOT CAN -- LONG ISLAND, HOWEVER RED IT HAS APPEARED TO BECOME IN RECENT CYCLES, THAT WAS AT COUNTY LEVELS.

CONGRESSIONAL RACES CAN BE -- YOU CAN ADD A BIT OF QUEENS, PUTTING IN DEMOCRATIC VOTES.

YOU CAN KIND OF MOVE AROUND THE SOUTH SHORE, WHERE A LOT OF REPUBLICAN STRONGHOLDS ARE.

PUT IN PLACES LIKE MAYBE HEMPSTEAD -- YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS WHERE THEY CAN AT LEAST MAYBE MAKE ONE OF THOSE DISTRICTS COMPETITIVE.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THE BEST GUESS IS THAT THE DEMOCRATS CANNOT TRANSFORM ALL THE RACES INTO EASY DEMOCRATIC WINS.

EXACTLY.

THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PICK AND CHOOSE.

BRANDON WILLIAMS, I MENTIONED CENTRAL NEW YORK, THAT'S ONE RACE WHERE I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING REALLY HARD.

MARC MOLINARO IN NEW YORK 19 COULD BE SOMEONE WHO COULD BENEFIT FROM THAT BECAUSE, WHEN YOU TAKE REPUBLICAN VOTERS OUT OF ONE PLACE, YOU'VE GOT TO PUT THEM SOMEWHERE ELSE.

AND MIKE LAWLER IS OBVIOUSLY SOMEONE THEY'RE TARGETING REALLY HARD.

WELL, THERE'S A LOT HERE.

WE'LL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO CHECK IN AND HOPEFULLY HAVE YOU BACK ON THE SHOW TO DISCUSS MORE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

OF COURSE.

AND WE WERE SPEAKING WITH VAUGHN GOLDEN OF THE NEW YORK POST AND ZACH WILLIAMS OF BLOOMBERG LAW.

NOW SWITCHING GEARS.

AS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE CONTINUES TO ADVANCE IN BOTH DEVELOPMENT AND IN USE, SOCIETY IS CONTEMPLATING THE BENEFITS OF USING IT IN OUR EVERYDAY LIVES.

ONE AREA IN WHICH THAT IS PERTINENT IS IN THE CLASSROOM.

WITH THE LAUNCH OF CHATGPT, THE TECHNOLOGY HAS BECOME MORE ACCESSIBLE THAN EVER.

BUT QUESTIONS REMAIN ON THE BENEFITS AND RISKS OF USING AI IN CLASSROOMS.

FOR MORE ON THIS, PRODUCER CATHERINE RAFFERTY SPOKE WITH EDUCATORS ABOUT HOW THEY USE AI IN THEIR CLASSROOMS.

[ SPEAKING SPANISH ] WE'RE GOING TO QUICKLY REVIEW THE STORY AND MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTOOD.

WAS ANYBODY NOT HERE LAST YEAR?

YOU KNOW YURIEL FROM THE STORY, I HAVE HIM ON THE PHONE.

YOU GUYS WERE GROUPS ARE GOING TO CREATE THREE QUESTIONS FOR YOUR YELL, AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK TO HIM ON THE PHONE.

WHEN CHATGPT 4 CAME OUT WITH THIS NEW FEATURE WHERE YOU CAN TALK TO IT VERBALLY, IT'S NOT JUST TEXT-TO-SPEECH, RIGHT?

YOU'RE ACTUALLY COMMUNICATING WITH IT.

I THOUGHT OF ALL THESE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT YOU COULD USE IT TO PRACTICE YOUR LANGUAGE SKILLS.

ONE OF THE WAYS THAT YOU CAN DO THAT IS BY PROGRAMMING IT TO BE A PERSON.

[ SPEAKING SPANISH ] HOW CAN I MAKE THIS SO THAT IT'S INTERACTIVE?

HOW CAN THEY INTERACT WITH THE STORY?

AND NOW WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY TO DO IT.

DAN EDWARDS HAS BEEN USING CHATGPT TO TEACH SPANISH IN BOTH HIS HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE CLASSROOMS SINCE 2022.

CHATGPT IS A FREE AI CHAT BOT DEVELOPED BY OPEN AI AND WAS RELEASED FOR TESTING TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC IN NOVEMBER 2022.

UNLIKE PREVIOUS AI CHATBOTS THAT ONLY RESPOND BASED ON PREDETERMINED PROMPTS OR COMMANDS, CHATGPT GENERATES MORE HUMAN-LIKE RESPONSES.

BUT THE MACHINE'S LEARNING CAPABILITIES AND POTENTIAL USES HAVE PROMPTED CONCERNS OVER HOW IT COULD IMPACT HUMAN LEARNING.

WE STARTED HEARING ABOUT THIS.

WE'RE SEEING IT ON TV, HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR COLLEAGUES.

WE'RE THINKING WHAT HARM IS THIS GOING TO DO, RIGHT?

HOW CAN WE STOP THEM FROM USING IT?

SO I CAME INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR LIKE AFRAID, BUT THEN AS A LANGUAGE TEACHER, THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH FOREVER BECAUSE WE HAVE GOOGLE TRANSLATE, RIGHT?

FOR SO MANY YEARS, WE'VE JUST BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, IS THIS THEIR WORK?

IS THIS NOT THEIR WORK?

I UNDERSTAND THE FEAR THAT WE'RE HEARING FROM TEACHERS IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS.

WHY THEY NEED TO KNOW HOW TO USE IT IS BECAUSE I THINK, NUMBER ONE, WE'RE COMING CLOSE TO A TIME WHERE EVERYBODY'S GOING TO BE USING IT, RIGHT?

THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ON THE SAME STARTING LEVEL AT EVERYBODY ELSE.

IN MAY, THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ISSUED A REPORT CALLED ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND THE FUTURE OF TEACHING AND LEARNING.

THE DEPARTMENT REPORT ACKNOWLEDGED THE NEED TO ADDRESS AI IN EDUCATION NOW, NOTING THAT AI MAY ENABLE ACHIEVING EDUCATIONAL PRIORITIES AND BETTER WAYS AT SCALE AND WITH LOWER COST.

BUT THERE IS SYSTEM-LEVEL RISK AND ANXIETY AROUND THE SCALE OF POSSIBLE UNINTENDED OR UNEXPECTED CONSEQUENCES.

IN NEW YORK, THE STATE BOARD OF REGENTS ADOPTED THE COMPUTER SCIENCE AND DIGITAL FLUENCY STANDARDS IN 2020, AND THEY ARE CURRENTLY BEING IMPLEMENTED IN SCHOOLS.

THE STANDARDS REQUIRE SCHOOLS TO DEVELOP CURRICULUM TO HELP PREPARE STUDENTS TO BE SAFE AND PRODUCTIVE IN AN INCREASINGLY DIGITAL WORLD.

THE STANDARDS INCLUDE TEACHING DIGITAL FLUENCY, WHICH IS THE ABILITY TO EVALUATE TECHNOLOGIES, TRANSFER UNDERSTANDING TO MOVE FLUIDLY BETWEEN TECHNOLOGIES, AND CREATE SOMETHING NEW WITH TECHNOLOGY.

ALL CURRICULUM DECISIONS ARE MADE AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL.

THE RAPID RISE OF AI HAS RESEARCHERS RUSHING TO COMPREHEND THE IMPLICATIONS OF AI IN THE CLASSROOM FOR BOTH STUDENTS AND TEACHERS.

AS WE KNOW, AI IS BECOMING SO POPULAR.

EVERYBODY IS TALKING ABOUT AI.

BUT WE REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY CURRICULUM THAT WE CAN TEACH ABOUT AI IN CLASSROOMS.

HAESOL BAE, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR IN THE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION AT UALBANY, IS RESEARCHING HOW AI CAN BE TAUGHT IN CLASSROOMS.

SHE STARTED THE SEMESTER AT UALBANY AS PART OF THEIR NEW AI-PLUS INITIATIVE, A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO INTEGRATING TEACHING AND LEARNING ABOUT AI ACROSS OUR ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH PROGRAMS.

STUDENTS NEED TO LEARN HOW THE TECHNOLOGY WORKS SO THEY CAN MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT HOW AND WHEN TO USE IT, BAE SAYS.

SO FOR THIS GENERATION'S MEDIA LITERACY, WE CALL IT, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, BUT NOW WE CALL IT AI LITERACY.

SO IT'S ABOUT HOW TECHNICALLY -- YOU KNOW, HOW THE STUDENTS CAN UNDERSTAND TECHNICALLY HOW THINGS WORK AND ALSO HOW TO USE IT BUT RESPONSIBLY AND WITH ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS.

SO THAT IS AN AI LITERACY THAT I AM REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT RESEARCH, TO RESEARCH.

SO MEDIA LITERACY, DATA LITERACY, AND AI LITERACY, THEY KIND OF GO HAND IN HAND NOW BECAUSE NOW EVERY MEDIA IS GENERATED WITH AI.

EDUCATORS ARE GETTING CREATIVE AND SAVING TIME ON TASKS WITH AI, SUCH AS TO CREATE LESSON PLANS, BUILD RUBRICS, AND PERSONALIZED ASSIGNMENTS FOR STUDENTS.

KEVIN GAUGLER IS A PROFESSOR OF SPANISH AT MARIST COLLEGE.

HIS RESEARCH IS IN COMPUTER-ASSISTED LANGUAGE LEARNING.

HE HAS USED CHATGPT 4 TO HOST A CONVERSATION BETWEEN STUDENTS AND GIVE REALTIME FEEDBACK TO STUDENTS AND HELP START A CONVERSATION IN SPANISH BASED ON AN IMAGE.

GAUGLER SAYS CHATGPT IS CHANGING HIS TEACHING METHODS AND MAKING HIM RECONSIDER THE WAYS HE ASSESSES HIS STUDENTS.

IN SOME WAYS, IT RAISES THE BAR.

ONE THING WE TALK ABOUT IN EDUCATION IS DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING, TO REALLY MEET THE STUDENTS AT THEIR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS, AND THIS TOOL IS REALLY -- I SEE A LOT OF POTENTIAL IN BEING ABLE TO DO THAT.

IT'S PROBABLY NOT A VALID ASSESSMENT ANYMORE TO JUST ASK THEM TO WRITE AN ESSAY IN THE OLD WAY.

FIRST THE TECHNOLOGY, I THINK, WILL SHIFT A LOT OF THOSE TEDIOUS TASKS YOU HAVE AS A TEACHER, THE PAPERWORK PART, TO BE ABLE TO JUST SPEND MORE TIME TALKING TO THEM LIKE HUMAN BEINGS, WHICH IS REALLY WHAT EDUCATION SHOULD BE ABOUT.

SO I THINK THERE IS THAT POTENTIAL.

ALL MY ASSESSMENTS NOW -- AND THIS WAS BEFORE AI.

COVID HAD A LOT TO DO WITH THIS AS WELL.

BUT I MOVED MY MIDTERMS AND FINALS ARE ALL ORAL FINALS.

I DON'T DO ANY WRITTEN MIDTERMS AND FINALS.

THERE ARE EDUCATORS WHO OPPOSE AI TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM.

NEARLY HALF OF EDUCATORS WHO RESPONDED TO A RECENT EDWEEK RESEARCH CENTER SURVEY SAID AI WOULD HAVE A NEGATIVE OR VERY NEGATIVE IMPACT ON TEACHING AND LEARNING IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S REPORT CITES CONCERN OVER ALGORITHMIC DISCRIMINATION AND SYSTEMIC UNFAIRNESS IN THE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES OR RESOURCES RECOMMENDED TO SOME POPULATIONS OF STUDENTS.

ADMINISTRATORS ALSO HAVE TO ENSURE WEBSITES THEY USE IN THEIR DISTRICT COMPLY WITH FEDERAL AND STATE PRIVACY LAWS, SUCH AS THE FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS ACT AND EDUCATION LAW SECTION 2D IN NEW YORK.

HAESOL BAE SAYS THERE ARE SEVERAL ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR EDUCATORS AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS TO CONSIDER BEFORE USING THE TECHNOLOGY.

WHEN YOU USE AI, THAT MEANS YOU ARE COLLECTING A LOT OF DATA AND YOU ARE TRACKING ALL THE PATTERNS.

THEN WE HAVE TO KNOW WHERE DOES THE DATA GO AND WHO HAS ACCESS AND WHO HAS A RIGHT TO USE THAT.

SO THERE ARE LOTS OF DECISIONS TO BE MADE FOR THAT DATA PRIVACY, WHO CAN READ AND USE THAT DATA.

SO THAT DATA BECOMES REAL BIG POWER.

ACCORDING TO A NATIONAL POLL BY COMMONSENSE MEDIA RELEASED THIS SPRING, MORE THAN HALF, 58%, OF STUDENTS AGES 12 TO 18 HAVE USED CHATGPT.

85% OF STUDENTS SURVEYED BELIEVE THAT AI PROGRAMS WILL HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON EDUCATION.

LOGAN NORTON-LAPSLEY, A SENIOR AT PINE BUSH HIGH SCHOOL AND STUDENT OF DAN EDWARDS' SPANISH CLASS, USED CHATGPT TO DRAFT HIS COLLEGE ESSAY AFTER USING THE TOOL IN CLASS.

FOR ME PERSONALLY, WHEN I WAS WRITING MY COLLEGE ESSAY, I WENT TO CHATGPT AND PLUGGED IN MY ESSAY AND HAD IT -- I PRETTY MUCH TALKED TO IT LIKE A PERSON, HAVING IT REVISE MY ESSAY.

IT CAN DO THINGS THAT OTHER PEOPLE CAN'T NECESSARILY DO FOR ME.

SO WHEN I DID THAT, IT GAVE ME CONNECTIONS BETWEEN TOPICS, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, CHESS AND ENGINEERING, TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TOPICS I WOULD HAVE NEVER SAW THE CONNECTION FOR, AND IT GAVE ME THAT.

I WAS ABLE TO FLESH IT OUT AND REALLY WORK WITH IT.

NEARLY A THIRD OF COLLEGE STUDENTS HAVE USED CHATGPT TO COMPLETE WRITTEN HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS WITH 60% SAYING THEY USE THE PROGRAM ON MORE THAN HALF OF THEIR ASSIGNMENTS, ACCORDING TO A STUDY PUBLISHED IN JANUARY FROM THE ONLINE MAGAZINE "INTELLIGENT."

JACOB GRESENS, A SOPHOMORE AT MARIST COLLEGE AND STUDENT IN KEVIN GAUGLER'S CLASS, SAYS AI IS NOT DOING HIS LEARNING FOR HIM.

I CAN DO IT MYSELF, AND I SHOULD DO IT MYSELF.

LIKE THIS IS WHY I'M HERE AT SCHOOL IS TO LIKE ENGAGE AND BE EDUCATED BY PEOPLE.

SO I DON'T KNOW, I'M HESITANT TO LIKE REALLY INCORPORATE AI INTO MY LIFE.

I'LL SEE WHERE IT GOES AND SEE HOW MUCH IT BECOMES PART OF LIKE MAINSTREAM LIFE.

THE CENTER FOR REINVENTING PUBLIC EDUCATION IDENTIFIED JUST TWO STATES, CALIFORNIA AND OREGON, THAT HAVE OFFERED OFFICIAL GUIDANCE TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS ON USING AI IN SCHOOLS THIS FALL.

ANOTHER 11 STATES ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING GUIDANCE, NEW YORK IS ONE OF THEM.

HOW POLICIES ARE ROLLED OUT WOULD BE UP TO INDIVIDUAL DISTRICTS.

SO WHAT WOULD EDUCATORS SAY TO OTHERS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN CHATGPT BUT WARY OF THE IMPACTS?

A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SCARED OF AI RIGHT NOW FOR GREAT REASONS BECAUSE A STUDENT CAN GO IN, AND IT WILL JUST SPIT OUT EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT.

BUT IF WE CAN TWEAK IT, LIKE THESE GPTs, FOR EXAMPLE, WE CAN GET IT TO INTERACT WITH A PERSON TO OPTIMIZE THE LEARNING AND NOT BYPASS IT BY JUST WRITING THE ESSAY FOR THEM OR THINKING FOR THEM.

AS TIME PASSES, AS AI BECOMES MORE INTELLIGENT, AND AS PEOPLE START TO USE IT MORE, BY NOT USING IT, WE'RE PUTTING OURSELVES BEHIND, AND WE'RE PUTTING OUR STUDENTS BEHIND BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO NEED TO KNOW HOW TO USE IT.

AI LEARNS EXPONENTIALLY, RIGHT?

IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET MORE INTELLIGENT.

IT'S ONLY GOING TO PLAY MORE OF A ROLE IN OUR LIVES.

EVERY DAY WE SEE NEW PROGRAMS COMING OUT.

SO I THINK THAT IT'S NOT ONLY SOMETHING THAT CAN HELP US IN THE CLASSROOM, BUT IT'S SOMETHING WE REALLY NEED TO START IMPLEMENTING SO THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE PREPARED.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES OF USING AI IN CLASSROOMS, YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE.

THAT'S AT NYNOW.ORG.

NOW THAT DOES IT FOR THIS EPISODE OF NEW YORK NOW.

THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN AND SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

[ Theme Music ] FUNDING FOR NEW YORK NOW IS PROVIDED BY WNET AND BY THE NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.