As the university bridges the gap between old and new with its new AI major, officials are planning to transition to only Artificial Intelligence professors in fall 2028.
This change aims to modernize education at Misericordia by creating a more convenient and efficient staff made up entirely of AI professors. An AI faculty will be available to students 24/7 to respond to questions and grade assignments at a much faster rate, officials say.
Assistant Computer Science Professor Ronald Kent has been helping plan this switch with administrative officials and other professors.
“I think this is going to take a little while to get used to. However, even though this is my career, I think this is the future,” Kent said.
Kent feels that this change will be better for students’ learning, and he supports the rise of AI in education and the world.
Students will still attend class at scheduled times, but instead of a person lecturing, they will be taught by a screen. The AI professor will appear on the board in front of them lecturing, and it will be prepared to answer questions just as a human professor would.
Officials were quick to note that the AI professors will be programmed with humanlike, relatable personalities. They will be designed to be approachable and encouraging; however, they can still fail students.
Not all faculty members are on board. Professor of Philosophy Georgia Johnson is worried about how this will affect her life, as she will no longer be able to teach.
“It is important to have that human connection in the classroom, and this is my passion. In my opinion, AI will never be able to replace what human professors can offer these students,” Johnson said.
Even with the uncertainty some students and professors feel, technology is not going anywhere, and it is here to stay at Misericordia.
Officials are also reimagining classrooms as “smart lecture halls,” meaning they will have wall-to-wall screens for the professors and voice-activation features.
As for convenience, students will no longer have to worry about class being canceled because the AI professor will always be available for their learning.
“This is about innovation,” Kent said. “Being able to prepare students for what is ahead of them, where technology and humanity intersect in new and exciting ways.”
Press Secretary for the Vice President of Academic Affairs Carolina Tevitt said the decision was made to benefit students and was not rooted in the University saving money on salaries to humans.
“Contrary to what the fake media rumors are, the University is not making this decision to penny pinch. We are doing it so students get the most up-to-date and accurate teaching strategies and the access to 24/7 help via virtual AI professors and tutors. Humans professors need to sleep. AI professors do not. That’s why the decision was made. Don’t listen to the false rumors. This is the greatest University on the planet and no other university cares more about their students more than we do,” Tevitt said.
Disclaimer: This article is parody