Faculty members discuss the growing significance of artificial intelligence 

Apeejay College of Fine Arts (ACFA) in Jalandhar recently conducted a Faculty Development Programme (FDP) in collaboration with the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC), focusing on the timely and pertinent topic of Artificial Intelligence (AI). 

Dr. Roopali Sood, Head of the Department of Computer Science and IT, enlightened the faculty members on the history of AI, emphasising that while it gained popularity in the early 20s, its roots trace back to the 1950s. She elucidated the distinctions between AI, machine learning, and deep learning, showcasing how AI permeates various aspects of contemporary life.

Discussing the growing omnipresence of AI, Dr. Sood highlighted its applications in gaming, security, e-commerce, finance, banking, algorithms, editing, autocorrect, and more. Additionally, Mr. Ankit from the Department of Multimedia demonstrated live examples, illustrating AI’s role in creating paintings, designing living spaces, composing songs, and generating lyrics.

While highlighting the advantages of AI, Dr. Sunit Kaur, Head of the Department of English, delved into the associated challenges. She underscored the necessity of cautious and diligent AI utilisation to avert potential threats, emphasising its lack of adaptability, emotional intelligence, and learning capacity compared to human intelligence. Further Dr. Kaur pointed out the financial implications of AI tools and their potential impact on creativity, particularly among students. She also addressed privacy and legal concerns as well as asserted that proper regulation is essential to harness AI’s benefits effectively.

Finally, Dr. Neerja Dhingra, Principal of ACFA, stressed on the significance of such FDPs in keeping staff members updated across diverse fields. She underscored the importance of continuous learning to adapt to the latest developments and technologies. 

All in all, the FDP provided a comprehensive understanding of AI’s evolution, applications, benefits, and challenges, fostering a knowledge-sharing environment among faculty members.