Actual Intelligence
“Good morning, thank you for calling GWV International Travel Reservations. This is Suzy, how may I help you?”
“Hi Judy. Marge from Getaway Travel. I have a couple that wants to go somewhere warm this weekend. Whaddya got?”
“Hi Marge! I will look for availability for two adults out of Boston this weekend to our destinations in the Bahamas, Caribbean and Mexico. Please give me one minute.”
Now, I could relay the entire conversation between Marge and myself from 1989, when I worked as a reservation agent for a vacation charter company. But you can predict, I’m sure…. I would narrow down her choices, answer questions about destinations, resorts, and tourist attractions. I would take down her agency and client details and book the trip. I would relay the confirmation number, and end the call with a “Thank you for calling GWV International, I hope your clients have a fabulous vacation!”
Was I trained for this job? Absolutely! I attended a correspondence school for one year (yes, through the US Mail). My year culminated in a 1-month on-location training at their campus in Florida where I memorized airport codes, countries, capital cities and ticketing regulations. Soon after, I attended American Airlines’ school in Dallas to learn their computer system (Sabre). Once I was hired by GWV, I flew to their destinations with some of the other 30 reservation agents to become familiar with all of the hotels and local activities (I know, tough job).
Why am I sharing the details of my first ‘career’ with you?
Good question!
Why don’t you watch this video from I/O 2018, and then I’ll tell you why. It’s only 4 minutes:
Nowadays, when my cell phone rings, and it’s “Casey” congratulating me on winning yet ANOTHER vacation, I can tell Casey isn’t real. I can tell she is artificial. She might be able to answer my clever questions about whether she is a robot, but clearly she is not human.
But the video I watched this morning took my breath away. Those voices didn’t sound like artificial intelligence. They sounded anything but artificial. They sounded like actual intelligence .
So that made me think… and worry…. and hope….
Google Assistant could EASILY be Suzy the Reservation Agent. Just fill up a database with dates, locations, resort details, flight times and local attractions and BAM – you’ve got yourself a Suzy. Or a Judy (haha). And you don’t have to send her to school, or put her on a plane to the Caribbean or teach her a computer system. Because she IS the computer system! I know…. It’s 2021. There probably are fewer reservation agents roaming the Earth since the onset of the Internet anyways. But #AI technology could make the species extinct!
And of course, I’m not just talking about reservation agents… Think about it: Artificial Intelligence of this quality can take the place of so many jobs we have come to know. We’ve seen the beginnings of it, but I know after hearing the voices on this video, there will come a time where we will not be able to discern between humans and robots.
Where does this innovative progress leave our students? What do the Suzys of the world do when they graduate from high school and feel college is not for them? Furthermore, are colleges doing any better? How are we meeting the needs of students who will have to make a living and support families? What jobs are we preparing them all for?
I know. I’m not asking anything new, here. I have attended many presentations and keynotes on the topic. I’ve never added my own voice to the cacophony of those sounding the alarm for years. I know our aim needs to adjust to change trajectories for our students. I believe our widespread, traditional model of “doing school” is preparing thousands of human students to be Artificially Intelligent. The COVID pandemic has changed our path where we can better prepare them to be Actually Intelligent .
As an administrator, I often miss being in the classroom; affecting change for my 20 students each year. However, each of us have a moral obligation to affect change for all students . How are YOU changing what school can be? How are YOU advancing your craft to make a difference?
Most importantly…. How are you SHARING what you are doing? Only together can we find ways to meet the needs of our students as they face a future we were never “trained” for.
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Speak Life,
Hi Suzy, thank you for sharing the routine of your first employment, I clearly remember my 13 year old mind going through training at McDonalds and having to suggestively sell an additional apple pie, french fry, or soda. It required attention and listening skills to match the right item up with the customer while knowing what was missing from completing their meal. We need to make sure we continue to do that for our students. Although the answers to most questions we ask are able to be found through an internet search or “Hey Siri…,” it is incumbent upon us to teach our students how to make meaning of those answers and resources. Knowing how to ask the right questions and determine if the information is accurate and valid is a much more critical skill. Knowing how to project voice with confidence and poise or read an audience for engagement or lack there of, is required to be successful. The role of a teacher is independent of any resource or technological advancement. You are right when you say, “each of us has a moral obligation to affect change for all students,” I just hope that change is relative to the time and needs of society.