What made the video stand out was not the music, but the then-novel deepfake technology that transformed Lamar’s face into the likenesses of O.J. Simpson, Kanye West, Jussie Smollett, Will Smith, Kobe Bryant and Nipsey Hussle. 

Lamar subverted widely-held suspicions of advanced technology to make a statement that complemented his sharp lyrics and soulful, retro instrumentals. 

Almost a year after Lamar deepfaked himself, a track called “Heart on My Sleeve” seemingly featuring Drake and The Weeknd was released on streaming services and social media. But the nearly-instant viral hit was created by a persona named ghostwriter, who used AI to replicate the two ultra-famous voices.

The industry responded instantly by removing the song from sites where it exploded, including YouTube, Spotify and TikTok. 

While the novelty of the song made it somewhat worthwhile, it quickly lost its luster as it became clear that it wasn’t Drake or The Weeknd. It was someone behind a computer with the technology available to mimic them.

Ghostwriter spurred a new, legitimate threat to artists, even if his, and many projects like it, were largely received as a joke without much substance. As artificial intelligence started entering mainstream music, artists, fans and record labels began to raise an essential question: is AI bad for music?

[DMV talent, ‘Dragula’ alum shine at SEE Spring Drag Show]

The crux of this debate lies in whether AI crosses the line between an enhancement tool, like autotune, and an artist replacement. Skeptics fear the technology could reach a point in which music loses what makes it so appealing — the fact that it’s inherently human. 

Artist Holly Herndon was ahead of the curve when she demonstrated how she had used AI and her voice to shape a piece of music in an April 2022 TED Talk. 

“I’m creating instruments to allow as many people as possible to create music with me, and even as me,” she said after showcasing a choir of her overlapping voices to the TED audience.

Instances of AI seeping into music have only increased. Covers of songs from Beyoncé’s new album, Cowboy Carter, made to sound like Miley Cyrus’ performance went viral. Ghostwriter returned with a faux-Travis Scott song and some of the industry’s biggest names, including Billie Eilish, called for a ban on “predatory” AI music.

AI has the potential to degrade the integrity of music to the point where it becomes transactional. Lyrics are plugged into a program that makes them sound like a famous artist, generating quick profit when they inevitably go viral, but serve as the product of a machine rather than the human experience. 

[Alex Garland explores an apocalyptic America in ‘Civil War’]

While some record labels have denounced the abrasive entry of AI into the music scene, others have embraced it. Lamar understood the capabilities of the sophisticated technology, and it led to a widely praised music video.

But we as an audience want to keep the integrity of the art intact. It is a tool, and should be seen and used as such. We can’t become separate from the human aspect of music. 

AI itself is neither good nor evil, but it is here to stay. Musicians, fans, record labels and everyone in the music ecosystem must reckon with that fact. Fans must come to terms with the AI intrusion to protect the integrity of music in our culture.

Pranav Dulepet and Mukund Shankar, who is also a math major, came up with the idea for agora. after bonding about not receiving enough nutrients in their meals due to dietary restrictions.

With a tagline of the “marketplace for personalized meal planning,” — a play on the word’s original translation in Greek — Dulepet and Shankar wanted agora. to reflect their very own experiences in meal planning.  

The duo wanted to eat well-balanced meals and save money by cooking their own meals. From this desire, agora. was born. 

“To come up with things that are nutritional, balanced, healthy, we wanted to find a way to get more creative with it rather than making the same things everyday,” Shankar said. 

With the app, users can create custom meals by inputting any requirements and ingredients given in English. In addition to creating custom meals, users can also explore AI created recipes within agora.  

[Nicki Minaj explores her past in ‘Pink Friday 2’]

After creating customized meals or finding recipes from others, users can store their favorite meals for easier access in the future, the creators said. The app also allows users to know what exactly it is they’re eating by calculating the amount of calories and macro content of the dish.

“When I have 20 minutes [or] half an hour to cook, and then eat, I also put in the app ‘I have twenty minutes and I have these ingredients, what can I make?’” Shankar said. “I do that, and I get out and it’s great.”  

Hyattsville resident Carlos Castro discovered agora. while looking for an app to help him track calories and get recipe ideas. Castro said he enjoys the app’s ability to give him meals based on whatever amount of time he has.  

In the future, Castro hopes the app will produce more meal results regardless of what the user is looking for. 

“Unless you’re specifically asking for very specific things, it’ll only give you one result per search,” Castro said. 

The agora. creators said users are able to directly buy meal ingredients from Amazon Fresh through the app. This feature is important to help users battle the time-consuming nature of grocery store trips, they said.

“It’s kind of a hassle to go to the grocery store every week, pick out what ingredients you want for what meals and then figure all that out,” Dulepet said. “This process makes it easier for ideating meals.”

[International students share what helps them through the holidays]

Dulepet and Shankar began to create plans of starting this project earlier this year. After choosing their targeted audiences and what features they wanted to use in agora, they officially got to work on the project over the summer. 

Moving forward, Dulepet and Shankar hope to add a paid plan to agora. While the ideas are still in development, the creators hope to foster a sense of community within their app so users can submit and compare recipes, they said.

“Instead of just having AI generated meals and recipes, we can have people who can submit their own recipes that they’ve come up with,” Dulepet said. 

Despite the possible paid plan, Dulepet said any features that are currently available will continue to be free for users. 

With the end of the semester fast approaching, there is no doubt that students’ Instagram feeds will soon be flooded with photo dumps recapping the epic highs and lows of college. But why are students infatuated with this approach to posting, and what does that tell us about our generation’s social media practices?

Photo dumps, or as The Office actor B.J. Novak calls them, “beautiful photography carousels of your most special memories,” represent a more casual way to post on Instagram. Instead of just one or two perfectly posed and edited images recapping a single event, photo dumps include up to 10 pictures with a mix of people, places and funny moments. 

A typical photo dump could include candid images of the poster and their friends with a mix of food, nature and other shots that capture the little things in life. Mason Hill, a sophomore government and politics major, supports the trend of concluding each carousel with a funny image.

“I definitely do the ones that I take less seriously towards the end,” Hill said. “If you scroll that long to see that, that’s on you. If you don’t think it’s cute, or you think it’s too unserious for Instagram then why did you scroll all that way?” 

[UMD students collaborate with local nonprofit on Hyattsville mural]

Some students, such as freshman journalism major Nia Smith, have gone so far as to make a separate account designated for their photo dumps. The distinction between her accounts is important to her, even if she’s not exactly sure why.

“I feel like I can’t post [photo dumps] on my main account because it’d be like a weird breakup area,” Smith said. “I don’t even know why because I’m not an influencer. No one special is looking at my page. It’s literally just all my friends.” 

Sophia Moseley, a sophomore communication major, is one of many students who support the campaign to “make Instagram casual again.” The phrase advocates for people to stop stressing out about their Instagram posts and share what makes them happy. 

Moseley has a photo dump account where she documents the “minor” moments of going out with friends she might not otherwise remember — such as eating chicken wings before a formal or the Uber ride to an event. 

“I like to remember how it actually was and not just us posing in our dresses,” Moseley said. “It’s not something that I do just for followers in general. I kind of think of it as a photo album or a scrapbook-type thing.”

Like Smith, Moseley likes having the separation of her main and photo dump accounts. She admitted that she doesn’t think people outside her close friends would necessarily care to see these more silly posts. Only people who would be in the photo dump follow her second account, Moseley said. 

[‘Squid Game: The Challenge’ is entertaining but misses the point of the original]

Hill has fun posting his photo dumps on his main account. He doesn’t take social media too seriously, and this format helps him to take breaks from posting and return with lots of content. 

“It’s almost more fun to not really know when you’re for sure gonna post,” Hill said. “Just kind of collect a bunch of photos that you enjoy and then post whenever you feel like it.” 

Hill enjoys looking through other people’s photo dumps as well and considers it a “fun little experience.” He thinks this approach to posting also allows for increased engagement and opportunities for more to comment on. 

Hill’s refreshing ideology perfectly sums up the beauty of the photo dump and explains why it’ll be here to stay. 

“Photo dumps are kind of pushing Instagram in what I think is the right direction where people are allowed to be more themselves and not focus so much on curating this perfect image of themselves that they want everyone to see,” Hill said. “It kind of allows them to be more creative, and just show more of their life than I feel like people used to.”

Technica is the world’s largest hackathon, a weekend-long hacking competition made specifically for underrepresented genders in the tech industry.

The event included keynote presentations by Ashley Huynh, an open-source engineer at Slack, and Emma Mitchell, the founder of an international mentoring program called InspireHER STEM. 

During her opening speech, Huynh called for more diversity in the tech industry. She said community and collectivism were the answer to help diversify the field and inspire innovation among underrepresented groups of people.

“While communities are extremely valuable for support and learning, they are most effective when they are diverse, equitable and inclusive spaces,” said Huynh. “That doesn’t just mean having a headcount, but also making sure that every person feels like they’re being treated fairly and that they’re empowered to continue contributing to the community.”  

After the opening ceremony, hackers broke off into small groups to begin their projects. 

This year’s theme was “Create Your Reality,” a message that aimed to inspire hackers to forge their own paths in hacking and coding.

Junior computer science major and Technica outreach director Mary Redpath said Technica’s hackathon is designed so people of diverse backgrounds and experiences can participate in the event, including those who may not have previously thought about getting involved in the tech industry.

[Netflix’s ‘Surviving Paradise’ is your new favorite trashy reality show]

Technica was founded in 2015, with the mission of promoting inclusivity in the tech industry. Redpath said its primary goals were to “provide opportunities and a safe space that doesn’t seem intimidating.”

The hackathon presented an opportunity for hackers to practice coding skills, as well as a chance to network with Technica’s sponsors. 

University of Maryland alum Veena Aruldhas, who graduated with an information science degree in May 2022, returned to Technica last weekend to network with the sponsors and meet women in tech. They said they attended Technica in a previous year and loved it. 

“I know that the tech industry is very male-dominated and very non-minority dominated as well, and you don’t see people like us being the patent center of tech every single day,” Aruldhas said. “I just love being in the space once again and it feels great. It also kind of reassures me and my identity in tech.”

Technica’s community director and senior information science major Eesha Kaul started participating in Technica when she was still a senior in high school. She said her interest in event planning led her to get involved with the hackathon as an organizer when she arrived at this university.

[Billboard’s top 10 pop songs overlook icons]

Kaul said she didn’t have many opportunities to find her own community due to the lack of diversity in the tech world, but organizing for Technica has helped her celebrate those in STEM with similar identities.

Technica also helped her find opportunities she would have never thought of herself, she said.

“I’m so grateful that I’ve had this experience throughout all those important times,” Kaul said.

The app, exclusively available at this university, allows students to snap a picture of an item they’d like to sell before potential buyers swipe left or right until they discover items they’d like to purchase. Once they swipe right, they enter a chat with the seller where they can discuss the item and sale.

Co-founders Shaurya Saran and Vaughn Hatfield, both junior computer science majors, love to thrift but realized other thrifting apps were too tedious.

“It was inconvenient to use [other apps] because if I were to sell a $7 shirt, I wouldn’t want to box it up and go and ship it out,” Saran said.

If no one buys a seller’s clothes within 30 days, Saran and Hatfield volunteer to pick up the items free of charge and donate them to a local organization.

[UMD alum transforms home into solo art exhibition]

The app also partners with other local businesses — including student-run and university-centered shops such as Old Town New Clothes, Thrift at UMD and UMD Fit Check — allowing students to buy from and support one another.

“Having a sustainable fashion trend throughout campus would really limit the amount of clothes or any stuff in general, just going to waste,” Saran said. “You can make an opportunity and get monetized and get some money from it — so it’s kind of a win-win situation.”

Hatfield and Saran met as freshman roommates and have been friends since. Earlier this year, the two bounced around ideas for a project and decided on Vyne before spending all summer developing and perfecting it.

Creating the app was like a full-time job, Hatfield said. The pair met twice a week and worked for hours each day. Despite their studies, the two didn’t have as much experience with user interface or front-end development — the part of the app users see and interact with.

[‘The Devil on Trial’ re-examines 1981 supernatural murder case]

“It’s definitely a thing I’m proud of, looking back, because it was a long process, and I’m glad that we stuck with it throughout the whole summer and we didn’t give up,” Hatfield said. “There’s obviously some points where like, ‘Oh, this might not work out,’ but we overcame that barrier.”

After the app launched on Oct. 9, Saran and Hatfield hung up fliers around campus and joined this university’s startup shell incubator. The app has since gained around 300 users at this university.

The pair hopes to continue growing their app and potentially expand to other schools and hire new team members, Hatfield said.

Vyne allows users to not only gain new clothes, support sustainable fashion and clear out their closet, but creates a community of thrift-loving students, said junior computer science and math major Arjun Aggarwal, who has used the app.

“It’s definitely going to make a whole community and make a lot of people who are into thrifting just more tight-knit with each other,” Aggarwal said. “[Vyne’s] definitely a great way of meeting new people with similar interests.”

A few times a day, we engage in a series of tying, untying, writhing, grunting and stomping as we wrestle shoes onto our feet, making for an inelegant experience at best.

Enter Kizik, the upstart shoe brand that is rejecting this state of putting on shoes in favor of a slip-on paradigm.

Claiming to be the “easiest shoes you’ll ever put on,” the Consumer Electronics Show Innovation award-winning company creates lines of shoes that range from standard white leather sneakers to more unique designs with a techy vibe. The versatility of their designs means there’s something for everyone interested in the slip-on tech.

The underlying technology beneath the tongue comes from the aptly-named parent company, HandsFree Labs. The company, backed by Nike, holds and licenses various patented designs that enable compressing the back of a shoe to accommodate an entering foot. The temporary deformity is then intended to pop back into place.

[Robots could take over the kitchen]

Aside from a lineup that uses an “external cage” mechanism, the hands-free functionality is entirely concealed. In other words, the shoes blend in with any other pair of shoes — indeed, HandsFree Labs claims that the tech can be incorporated into “virtually any shoe.”

When browsing Kizik’s lines of shoes, I was looking for something that would match the smart casual aesthetic recommended for my internship this summer. I’ve yet to grasp what this means — but I settled for an inoffensive pair of plain black canvas shoes that wouldn’t distract from more dressy attire. The shoes are part of Kizik’s latest Irvine line, which just dropped last month.

When I tried on the shoes for the first time, they felt amply comfortable with a snug fit. But really, there was just one thought on my mind as I proceeded to repeatedly slip my feet in and out of the shoes.

Is this a gimmick?

Admittedly, as someone who regularly slips on shoes that aren’t meant to be slipped on, these shoes didn’t feel groundbreaking. Nevertheless, Kizik successfully alleviates the guilt of irreversibly damaging perfectly good shoes with an indolent shortcut.

[CES 2023: Car concepts define the future of mobility]

Upon paying closer attention to the experience, it’s pretty amazing how smooth the whole process is. It’s easy to forget these shoes don’t look like they are meant to be slipped on.

As others reviewing the shoes have noted, there’s an accessibility component to this as well. While many people might favor these shoes simply out of ease, others with age or disability concerns could benefit greatly from the slip-on technology.

The thoughtless, nearly frictionless process is emblematic of great design. Technology is at its best when you forget it’s there. To quote Jony Ive of Apple design fame, “There is beauty when something works and it works intuitively.” Kizik shoes work so intuitively, it’s hard to imagine going back.

Created by senior information systems major Fady Yanni and senior computer science and mathematics major Pranav Shikarpur, KarenAI is an artificial intelligence-powered chatbot and voice synthesizer intended to mimic the notorious Karen figure by generating complaints to companies, organizations or anywhere else users might take issue with.

With this program, a person can input their complaint’s details and KarenAI will generate an assertive response that is sure to catch the attention of any customer service representative.

Yanni and Shikarpur shared that, like many, they were first exposed to the concept of the Karen through TikTok, especially during the pandemic when the anti-mask movement became popular. Yanni found humor in Karens, and wondered what it’d be like to apply his own passions towards the concept. 

[I asked AI for its thoughts on college life at UMD]

Yanni first had the idea to develop the KarenAI in 2020, when he experienced poor customer service from a major telecommunications company. He applied to a startup incubator with the name “Karen,” and then built the program with Shikarpur for this university’s 2023 Bitcamp hackathon last month. The program won second prize in the event. 

Shikarpur, who built the voice synthesizing model, wanted KarenAI to stand out in its ability to verbally communicate and with an attitude.

 “A lot of these services don’t really have a personality to them,” he said. “We thought it would be very interesting if we could take Karens out in the wild, get their voice samples collected over from Youtube, TikTok and other social media platforms, and train a voice cloning AI.”

Yanni and Shikarpur first met through this university’s Startup Shell, a central hub for like-minded entrepreneurs and creators. Here, the two work together and collaborated through their unique ideas and interests. 

Shikarpur also has a startup called Lingo, where he worked with popular YouTube creators to dub their videos in different languages. Yanni said that this startup was a helpful resource for Shikarpur in developing the voice of KarenAI. 

[‘Real-life Pitch Perfect’: UMD team performs in national a cappella competition]

Yanni’s short-term goal was to find a way to obtain decent customer service. However, his ambitions escalated to winning at Bitcamp and hopefully developing an actual business. 

“I think the true goal is really to empower the consumer,” Yanni said. “Although it’s kind of gimmicky, [the program] does have a lot of applications for people that might have anxiety with speaking to customer support.” 

Yanni hopes to see KarenAI perform as a paid service in the future that would access people’s accounts with certain companies and complain on their behalf. 

Shikarpur also thinks that KarenAI has a great deal of potential in becoming a unique and helpful business. 

“I think audio AI is a very unexplored field, and it’s growing day by day,” he said. “I think there are definitely potential dangers in terms of people being able to clone voices for malicious intent, but I think there are definitely a lot more pros than there are cons.”

One can demo the program here and can join the waitlist for the program and be notified when it launches here.

I spoke with two algorithms: OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Snapchat’s My AI. ChatGPT is a language model that uses machine learning algorithms to form human-sounding responses in hopes to “provide information to users in a conversational manner.” My AI is a chatbot designed to converse with Snapchat users as a friend, and its data is updated regularly. ChatGPT’s data on the other hand, hasn’t been updated since September 2021.

I decided to test how these robots would answer questions regarding life at the university and the habits of students here. I gave the AIs a word count of 50 for each response.

These questions have been edited for clarity. The AI’s responses have not been edited.

What is something unique to the University of Maryland?

ChatGPT: One unique feature of the University of Maryland is its “fire hose” alarm system. In the event of an emergency, a series of sirens and speakers emit a loud, high-pitched tone, followed by a voice announcement giving specific instructions. This system is designed to quickly and effectively alert and guide the university community during a crisis.

*This answer is partially inaccurate. This university has a fire alarm system, but it is not centered on fire hoses, and not every building’s alarm system has a voice announcement feature.

My AI: One unique thing about UMD is its location. The campus is situated in College Park, which is a vibrant and diverse community with a lot of great restaurants, shops and cultural attractions. Being so close to Washington, D.C., is also a huge plus, as it offers students a lot of opportunities to explore the nation’s capital.

What is the best thing about the University of Maryland?

ChatGPT: The best thing about the University of Maryland is often considered its academic excellence, including top-ranked programs and distinguished faculty. The university’s location near Washington, D.C. also provides unique opportunities for students to engage with politics and industry, making it a popular choice for many students seeking a fulfilling academic experience.

[Social media has changed the way we attend concerts]

MyAI: ​​That’s a tough question! There are so many great things about UMD. One of the best things is probably the sense of community on campus. There are so many different clubs and organizations to get involved in, and everyone is really friendly and welcoming.

What is the worst thing about the University of Maryland?

ChatGPT: I believe it is not constructive to focus on the negative aspects of a university. It is important to keep in mind that every institution has areas where they can improve, and the University of Maryland is no exception. However, it is best to research and evaluate the university based on your individual needs and priorities.

My AI: I wouldn’t say there’s a “worst” thing about UMD, but one thing that can be challenging is the size of the campus. It can be easy to get lost or overwhelmed, especially if you’re new to the school. But there are plenty of resources available to help you navigate the campus and get settled in.

Who is the most famous University of Maryland alum?

ChatGPT: The University of Maryland has a number of notable alumni across a variety of fields, including sports, entertainment, politics, and business. Some of the most famous and accomplished alumni of the university include:

1. Sergey Brin – Co-founder of Google
2. Jim Henson – Creator of the Muppets
3. Larry David – Comedian, writer, and producer
4. Connie Chung – Journalist and news anchor
5. Kevin Plank – Founder and CEO of Under Armour
6. Scott Van Pelt – ESPN Anchor and radio host
7. Juan Dixon – Former NBA player and Maryland men’s basketball star
8. Carla Hayden – Librarian of Congress

My AI: Hmm, I’m not sure, but I think Sergey Brin, the co-founder of Google, graduated from the University of Maryland.

If you could spend one day at the University of Maryland, what would you do?

ChatGPT: If I were to suggest activities at the University of Maryland, one could visit the campus’s museums, attend a lecture or seminar, explore the many outdoor spaces and gardens, or try out the different dining options available.

*This answer is partially inaccurate. The University of Maryland does not have any designated museums, but rather on-campus exhibition spaces.

MyAI: If I could spend a day at UMD, I would probably start by exploring the campus and checking out some of the buildings and landmarks, like the McKeldin Mall and the Memorial Chapel. I would also try to attend a class or two and maybe grab lunch at one of the dining halls.

Tell me about Testudo.

ChatGPT: Testudo is a beloved statue and symbol at the University of Maryland. It is a bronze statue of a diamondback terrapin, the official state reptile of Maryland, located in front of McKeldin Library on the campus mall. Students believe that rubbing Testudo’s nose, placing a penny at his feet and circling the statue three times will bring good luck, especially during exam time. The university also holds a special ceremony each year where students present offerings to Testudo in hopes of receiving good luck in their studies and future careers.

*This answer is partially inaccurate. There is no evidence suggesting that students circle the statue three times. Also, students presenting offerings to Testudo is not a university-held ceremony and the offerings are not limited to pennies.

My AI: Testudo is a statue and symbol of the University of Maryland. It’s located in the center of the McKeldin Mall and is a popular spot for students to gather and take photos. According to legend, rubbing Testudo’s nose will bring good luck, and students often leave offerings like coins or food at the statue’s feet.

What gender is Testudo?

ChatGPT: Testudo is a mascot at the University of Maryland, and is often depicted as a male diamondback terrapin. However, as a fictional character, Testudo does not have a biological sex or gender. Testudo is simply a symbol and representative of the University of Maryland community.

My AI: I’m not sure, but I think Testudo is gender-neutral.

*Both of these answers are inaccurate. The real Testudo is speculated by some researchers to be female due to its size, and the bronze statues across campus have female characteristics, like a higher dome on the shell, larger head and smaller tail. However, the original taxidermied terrapin and bronze statues cannot be removed from their bases, meaning researchers cannot confirm Testudo’s gender by looking at its stomach.

[From voice assistants to algorithms, the UMD community uses AI in unique ways]

Tell me something silly about the University of Maryland’s history.

ChatGPT: One fun and silly fact about the University of Maryland’s history is that the university once had a live mascot named “Testudo II” who was actually a diamondback terrapin. In 1933, a student named Adele H. Stamp acquired the terrapin from a local market and brought it to campus as a way to boost school spirit. Testudo II quickly became a beloved figure on campus, and he was even included in the university’s graduation procession for several years.

However, Testudo II’s time at the university was short-lived, as he unfortunately passed away after eating several pieces of candy that had been thrown into his tank during a homecoming parade. While the university no longer has a live mascot, Testudo the Terrapin remains an important symbol of school pride and spirit, and he continues to be a beloved figure among students and alumni.

My AI: Did you know that the University of Maryland used to have a live bear as its mascot? In the 1930s, a live bear named “Testudo” was brought to campus to serve as the school’s mascot. However, the bear was eventually retired due to safety concerns. 

*These answers are inaccurate. There is no evidence suggesting that Adele H. Stamp brought a terrapin from a local market to campus. Adele H. Stamp was the first dean of women at this university and was not a student in 1933. Nothing in ChatGPT’s answer makes sense, much less is accurate to this university’s history. 

There is also no evidence to suggest that this university used to have a live bear as its mascot. Testudo has been the school’s mascot since 1932.

Do you know what a Looney’s Crush bucket is?

ChatGPT: A Looney’s Crush Bucket is a popular beverage at Looney’s Pub, a bar located near the University of Maryland campus. The Crush Bucket is a large bucket filled with crushed ice, orange-flavored vodka, and orange juice, and is served with straws for sharing among friends. It has become a popular drink among college students and visitors to the area.

*This answer is partially inaccurate. There are various flavors of the Crush Bucket, and the Orange Crush Bucket ChatGPT refers to here also contains Triple Sec.

My AI: Yes, I do! A Looney’s Crush Bucket is a popular drink at Looney’s Pub. It’s a bucket filled with a variety of flavored crushes, which are fruity cocktails made with orange juice and other mixers.

What are the cheapest places to get food in College Park?

ChatGPT: 

There are several affordable food options that you might want to consider: 

1. The Common: This is a student-run restaurant located in the Adele H. Stamp Student Union at the University of Maryland. The prices are very affordable and the menu includes a variety of dishes.
2. Milk and Honey Cafe: This is a coffee shop located on Baltimore Avenue that offers a variety of breakfast and lunch options, including sandwiches, salads and smoothies.
3. Marathon Deli: This is a Greek restaurant located on Route 1 that offers a variety of affordable sandwiches, salads and platters.
4. Pizza Kingdom: This is a pizza restaurant located on Berwyn Road that offers large pizzas at affordable prices.

*This answer is partially inaccurate. The Common is not located in Stamp, it is in the College Park Marriott, and it is not specifically student-run. Pizza Kingdom is not located on Berwyn Road, it is on Lehigh Road.

My AI: I’m not sure about the cheapest places, but some of the most affordable places to eat in College Park are Ratsie’s Pizza, Marathon Deli, and Sardi’s Pollo A La Brasa.

*This answer is partially inaccurate. Ratsie’s Pizza is no longer operational, and Sardi’s Pollo A La Brasa is in Beltsville, not College Park.

As we can see, AIs still have a lot of learning to do. It seems that ChatGPT typically offers more technical answers, while My AI serves as more of a conversationalist. 

Both provided several inaccurate answers regarding aspects of this university, College Park and college life in general. However, the extent of the knowledge that the AIs did possess regarding these subjects was impressive. Perhaps with more current data and active user engagement, AIs might be able to discuss our university and college lives at length and without flaw in the future.

“An AI system is basically any sort of automated system whose behavior is at least in part dictated by data that it has been … exposed to in some way,” said Hal Daumé III, a computer science professor at the University of Maryland.

With the rise of artificial intelligence tools, college communities have needed to explore what this technology means for curriculums and grading. While these tools provide some challenges for plagiarism detection in classrooms, they also provide aid for students in their everyday lives.

Daumé uses Google Translate fairly frequently to communicate with his in-laws, as well as Netflix’s recommendation algorithm, online shopping algorithms and Siri for simple tasks. He also played around with ChatGPT and DALL-E for class.

“I do use it occasionally when I’m writing homework or exam questions to see how easy it is for ChatGPT to answer them,” he said. “Sometimes I change around or if it’s too easy, sometimes I don’t. It’s more of a sort of curiosity than anything else.”

Snehesh Shrestha, a computer science doctoral student, has a thesis focused on using artificial intelligence to empower teachers and students in music education. The tool he uses the most regularly is GitHub Copilot, a large language model specifically designed for code.

[TikTok star Chris Olsen talks fame and the mundane at SEE’s Spring Lecture]

“It just makes my coding experience much smoother and faster,” he said.  “For example, it does a … really great job with autocomplete, but we definitely have to watch out for the recommendation that it provides … for two reasons: sometimes it can be wrong and then secondly, sometimes it might not be as efficient.”

Senior information science major Steven Clark uses the application programming interface released by ChatGPT to create a bonsai teacher to help him with his hobby.

These tools can also lead to a lot of fear and frustration when they start to change something we use or do. Clark used cars as an example of technological advances changing up the norm. As cars became the new norm of transportation, they replaced horses, which are now primarily owned by wealthier people as a hobby or by communities that still use them for labor.

“I think that stuff like this happens all throughout human history where a new technology comes around and it becomes scary, and it changes the paradigm of how people operate in a society,” Clark said.

While artificial intelligence has been around for years and is already incorporated into products we use daily, the introduction of recent tools, such as ChatGPT and DALL-E, have felt next-level and almost threatening.

Shrestha said it might have something to do with artificial intelligence beating our expectations of it.

“There was an emergence of certain properties that was very surprising from a baseline expectation,” he said. “As soon as something beats our expectation … by a large amount, it’s a natural instinct for our definition for something to be called smart.”

He used a plate being carried by a dog and a person as an example. If a dog picked up a plate and brought it to you, you’d think it was brilliant. If a human did the same thing, you wouldn’t be as impressed. The dog surpassed your expectation, which is why the same task seems so amazing.

[Can UMD students handle Pedro Pascal’s insane coffee order?]

Daumé suggested that tools such as ChatGPT and DALL-E plug us directly into the artificial intelligence, instead of operating from a distance and under-the-hood like many other tools and algorithms.

“I think this sort of open endedness maybe makes it feel different to people than these previous things, which maybe felt more like sort of one-off tools,” he said.

Shrestha imagines the future of artificial intelligence tools as more specific to a particular task, with more interaction between the human and the computer. He compared it to how Iron Man interacts with J.A.R.V.I.S., the artificial intelligence system Tony Stark uses in the Marvel franchise. J.A.R.V.I.S. assists Stark with his work, but when J.A.R.V.I.S. can’t meet a specification, Stark does it manually himself.

Clark also believes artificial intelligence doesn’t look like it’s going to go away any time soon.

“I think it’s going to change a lot as far as the kind of tasks that people are going to do for work,” he said. “I think that a lot of really simple stuff is just going to be automated.”

Early this year, a new trend began to emerge that largely goes against that standard. Creators “de-influencing” videos have quickly taken the internet by storm. The hashtag has already amassed approximately 219 million views. 

TikTok seemingly has a new viral product at every turn, often making it impossible for users to constantly keep up with these short-lived and niche fashion and beauty trends. “De-influencing” has set out to help users feel better about the overwhelming number of products they “need” to buy. 

Essentially, creators inform consumers on what not to buy, often discouraging them from purchasing some of the app’s most popular products. 

[The Diamond Drag: Lip Sync LaLaPaRuza of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’]

As somebody who has been the victim of regrettable and unnecessary TikTok purchases, I was pleasantly surprised to see a slight change from the culture of overconsumption on the app. 

Social media for the most part has popularized the constant consumption of fast fashion. With cheaper items being bought and thrown out at a rapid pace, more clothing ends up in landfills. But TikTok has long been a proponent of consistent fashion shifts. 

So, this “de-influencing” approach is the antithesis of what is ordinarily promoted in regards to fashion and beauty on the app, and highlights a pattern of inauthenticity we have seen from influencers pushing sponsored products. 

Compared to traditional celebrities, influencers with large social media followings have a different type of captivation on their audiences. These creators are often viewed as more relatable, and their type of success seems far more attainable to an average user. 

According to statistics reported by the Digital Marketing Institute, about 70 percent of teens trust influencers more than celebrities. Alongside teens, about 49 percent of consumers depend on influencer recommendations. For influencers, getting their audience to immediately buy a product would be an easy task. 

For once, users are challenging this undeniable grip. 

[‘The Woman King’ illustrates what Black vulnerability can look like]

For a generation so entrenched with immediately buying the next viral item, however, the simple side of “de-influencing” didn’t stay for long. Although many videos were made with good intentions, the point soon became lost on many influencers. 

Instead of plainly recommending products their viewers should not purchase, creators began to start recommending much less expensive alternatives for originally viral items. 

The trend took a turn and people began promoting items that they swore were exactly the same product for a much lower price. Instead, many are now being encouraged to buy even more for the same price. 

As trend life cycles get shorter, the need to buy quickly grows. Even as users attempt to dissuade audiences for unnecessary products, both viewers and creators still end up focusing on what cheaper versions they should buy. 

This begs the question of whether or not TikTok will ever be able to escape from the cycle of overconsumption that it helped create. 

As these videos continue, it may predict a future for TikTok and social media in general. It seems that unless substantial action is taken, these platforms will continue to validate and promote these unsustainable trends.