National Seminar on Convergence of AI, DH, and English Studies
The Department of English at Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University hosted the 'National Seminar on Convergence of AI, DH, and English Studies' on March 29, 2024. The seminar delved into the intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Digital Humanities (DH), and English Studies, exploring topics such as:
- How AI can help analyze literature
- Using Digital Humanities for studying texts
- AI's role in teaching and learning language
- Considering ethical issues in AI and DH research
Keynote speakers of distinction were:
- Prof. (Dr.) Nigam Dave from Pandit Deendayal Energy University, Gandhinagar
- Dr. Richa Srishti from CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Lavasa
- Dr. Richa Mishra from Nirma University, Ahmedabad
- Dr. Shobha K. N. from the National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research (NITTTR), Chennai
Dilip Barad talked about how new ideas face resistance before being accepted, using Plato's words about truth and lies as an example. He also mentioned a story about a Greek god. Most of the seminar participants were girls, and he talked about the importance of empowering girls in digital literacy.
1.Prof.Dr.Nigam Dave
Topic :"Value Neutrality of Deepfakes and Its Positive Implications."
Nigam Dave, shed light on the value neutrality of deepfakes and their positive implications.
Dr. Dave delved into the definition of deepfakes, describing them as edited images, videos, or audio recordings that replace the original person with someone else, often a public figure, in a manner that appears authentic. He highlighted various terms associated with deepfakes, including digital avatars, AI image swaps, face swaps, cheap fakes, shallow fakes, and text fakes.
Expanding the discussion, he explored the concept of fake identities in literature, citing examples from stories like those of Chyavan Rushi. He also touched upon the prevalence of altered content in memes, body doubles, celebrity look-alikes, mimicry artists, singers mimicking known voices, and the existence of fake products in places like Chor Bazaar. Notable mentions included the holographic representation of Michael Jackson and historical resistance to new technologies.
However, Professor Dave also emphasized the positive aspects of deepfakes, such as the recreation of historical figures like Evil Prestey through rotoscoping and the emergence of synthetic literature generated by AI, exemplified by apps like Words by Words. He highlighted practical applications like synthetic voices for navigation and aiding individuals who have lost their ability to speak due to medical conditions.
Furthermore, he discussed innovative projects like Microsoft's Mr. Mix the Reality, which utilizes the HoloLens for blending virtual and real environments, and the rise of virtual influencers. Throughout his presentation, he referenced figures like Christopher Marlowe, Doctor Foster, Helen of Troy, and Sam Pitroda to provide context and depth to his arguments.
In summary, Professor Dave's discourse encouraged attendees to adopt a nuanced perspective on deepfakes, recognizing both their potential negative implications and the transformative possibilities they offer.
2.Dr.Richa Mishra
Topic: "Engaging with Digital Humanities Tools, Techniques, and Scope"
Dr. Richa Mishra, Her talk was all about how we engage with Digital Humanities, focusing on tools, techniques, and its scope.
She explained that Digital Humanities is basically about using digital data, visualization, interaction, context, and various methods to understand human culture and history. She mentioned some key figures in the field like father Busa, Willard McCarty, Franco Moretti, Johanna Drucker, and Lev Monoich.
The whole idea behind Digital Humanities is that it came about because academics wanted to explore how newly emerging digital technologies could enhance our understanding of human constructs, social relations, and what it means to be human.
Dr. Mishra emphasized that in Digital Humanities, details are like the new soil. It's where we plant our ideas and grow our understanding.
She talked about the traditional research flow, how we go from gathering materials to analyzing them, debating their significance, and then disseminating our findings.
Then she delved into techniques like text mining and analysis, data visualization, geospatial analysis, networking analysis, corpus linguistics, text encoding and markup, topic modeling, digital storytelling and narrative analysis, and data curation and preservation. These techniques help us make sense of vast amounts of digital information.
She also highlighted some tools that are commonly used in Digital Humanities, making it more accessible for researchers.
She shared examples of Digital Humanities in action, comparing it to a digital love story. One interesting reference she made was to the Verse by Verse App, showing how technology can enhance our understanding and appreciation of literature and culture.
3. Dr. Richa Shristi
Topic: "The Role of AI in Creative Process: Rethinking Authorship "
Dr. Richa Srishti , talked about how AI is changing the creative process and the concept of authorship. She discussed how AI can foster creativity, create art, and even write stories, raising ethical and legal concerns. She demonstrated human-AI collaborations in creating poetry and emphasized the importance of ethical considerations in using AI.
During her talk, Dr. Srishti showcased a picture and a story created by both humans and AI, highlighting the blurred lines between human and AI creativity. She raised questions about whether AI can truly replicate human creativity or if it's just imitation.
Dr. Srishti also discussed the impact of AI on literature, such as the rise of e-literature, democratization of publishing, and the blurring of genres. She pondered on the future of creativity, questioning if true originality and emotional depth can only be achieved by humans.
4.Dr. Shobha K. N.
Topic: " AI for Teaching and Learning "
Dr. Shobha K.N. explored AI's role in learning and teaching, questioning whether technology is accessible to everyone or just a select few. He referenced historical technological advancements like the printing press and typewriters and how they changed education. He mentioned figures like Benjamin S. Bloom, Sal Khan, and Sam Altman.
Dr. Shobha emphasized that AI education isn't just about technical skills but also about nurturing critical thinking and ethical considerations. He used sports examples to illustrate how technology has changed the way we learn and teach, ultimately advocating for responsible AI use in education.
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