Latest news with #MikePorfirio
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill preventing AI instructors in Illinois community college courses passes Senate
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — Artificial intelligence has crept into many spaces, but state lawmakers are trying to ensure they're not leading classrooms. A bill in the Illinois Capitol would bar community colleges from having AI teach any class. Instructors would still be able to use AI if they choose, but every course would need a human assigned to it. Illinois pharmacists could soon dispense Ella emergency contraceptive without a doctor's prescription The bill's sponsor, Sen. Mike Porfirio (D-Lyons Township), said it's important to be proactive when it comes to regulating AI. 'We need to make sure that we find the appropriate role of AI on our society, whether that's academia, business, etcetera,' the senator said. 'I think there's certainly some good and exciting things that it may bring. But we need to make sure it's not replacing faculty or staff; you want to protect teachers' jobs.' Porfirio added that instructors are irreplaceable to students. 'It's recognizing, acknowledging the value that instructors bring to students lives and development,' he said. 'Not only academically but holistically as well.' The bill passed the Senate 46-12 Wednesday. This comes after Harvard University announced plans to have AI teach an Introduction to Computer Science course. Students in CS50 (which has hundreds of students enrolled on campus and thousands online) are allowed to use AI designed by instructors to help explain and advise lines of code. Harvard professor David Malan said in a lecture about the AI instructor at Ai4 in 2023 that the tools have generally boosted student's grades. In feedback they shared with Malan about the AI bot, one student said they loved how nonjudgmental the bot was in answering 'stupid' questions. 'Dangerous, reckless behavior': IL lawmaker works to crack down on street racing with bill 'It has, as one could expect, an inhuman level of patience,' the student wrote in their course review. In a statement, the Illinois Community College Board said no community college in the state has any plans on using AI to substitute instructors. 'Our colleges remain firmly committed to the value of faculty-led instruction and educators' critical role in student learning, support, and success,' the group said in a statement to WCIA. 'The ICCB will continue to monitor developments in educational technology while upholding our mission to provide accessible, high-quality education across the state.' The bill is based off of a California law that went into effect in 2024. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Newsweek
22-05-2025
- Newsweek
Illinois Limits Colleges' Use of ChatGPT
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Illinois lawmakers are seeking to limit the use of artificial intelligence at community colleges in the state. In a 46-12 vote, the Illinois Senate approved a bill that would bar community colleges from using artificial intelligence instead of human instructors to teach classes, the Capitol News Illinois reported on Thursday. Why It Matters The advent of artificial intelligence chatbots such as ChatGPT raised concerns at schools and colleges across the country about how easy it is for students to cheat. Some schools have forbidden the use of AI. But some colleges and professors have turned to AI to help teach classes. The New York Times recently reported that a student at Northeastern University demanded a refund on tuition fees after discovering her professor used ChatGPT to produce lecture notes for a class. Google Gemini, OpenAI ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot app icons are seen on a screen. Google Gemini, OpenAI ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot app icons are seen on a To Know House Bill 1859 amends the Public Community College Act so that "each board of trustees of a community college district shall require the faculty member who teaches a course to be an individual who meets the qualifications in the Illinois Administrative Code and any other applicable rules adopted by the Illinois Community College Board," according to a summary. It does not prohibit faculty members from "using artificial intelligent to augment course instruction," the summary says. But it prohibits colleges from using AI "as the sole source of instruction for students" in lieu of a faculty member. Some Republicans opposed the measure, arguing that it restricts the ability of local community college boards to offer courses in subjects where qualified human instructors are scarce, the Capitol News Illinois reported. State Senator Mike Porfirio, a Democrat and the bill's top sponsor in the Senate, said it was protecting the interests of students and human instructors. What People Are Saying State Senator Sue Rezin, a Republican, said, per the Capitol News Illinois: "I'm concerned that this bill will take local control away from the community college to be able to make decisions that are in the best interest of their students." State Senator Mike Porfirio said, according to the news site: "I think if anything we're guaranteeing that our students receive proper instruction and also that we acknowledge the role that instructors, faculty, staff play in students' lives." What's Next The bill returns to the Illinois House, which has to approve an amendment made in the state Senate before it can be sent to Governor JB Pritzker to be signed into law.
