According to Collins managing director Alex Beecroft, AI has become a focal point of 2023, with its rapid development and integration into everyday life comparable to technologies like email and streaming. The profound impact of artificial intelligence on our rapidly evolving world, driven by the power of algorithms and data, has led to its selection as the word of the year.
The announcement coincides with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hosting a summit to discuss how to maximize the benefits of AI while minimizing the risks. Additionally, the use of AI technology by the Beatles to retrieve John Lennon's vocals from an old cassette for their upcoming release demonstrates its diverse applications.
The word of the year typically reflects the prevailing concerns of the time. In 2022, it was "permacrisis," while 2020 was dominated by the word "lockdown." Other contenders for the word of the year in 2023 included "ultraprocessed," "debanking," and "greedflation," reflecting the diverse range of topics that have captured public attention.
Overall, the selection of "artificial intelligence" as the word of the year underscores the increasing significance of AI in contemporary discourse and its potential impact on various aspects of society.
Original news source: AI named word of the year by Collins Dictionary (BBC)
π Vocabulary:
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– News Summary
Instructions: Students are asked to write a brief summary of the article, condensing its main points into a short paragraph. Encourage them to focus on the key aspects such as the reason behind the selection of "artificial intelligence" as the word of the year, its increased usage, and its significance in contemporary society. After writing, students will share their summaries with the class.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Create a series of statements about the impact of AI on society based on the article (e.g., "AI will bring more positive changes than negative", "AI poses a significant threat to job security", etc.). Students will walk around the class and poll their classmates' opinions on these statements. After collecting the data, they will discuss the general consensus and compare it with their personal viewpoints.
– Keyword Taboo
Instructions: Write down key terms from the article on cards, such as "artificial intelligence," "algorithms," "data," "revolutionary advancements," "catastrophic consequences," etc. Students must describe the term to their partner without using the word itself or other obvious words listed on the card. This will encourage students to use synonyms and describe concepts in different ways.
– Synonym Challenge
Instructions: Select vocabulary from the article that may have more complex or less familiar synonyms (e.g., "quadrupled," "profound," "integration," "contenders"). Ask students to come up with synonyms for each word, promoting a deeper understanding of vocabulary and its usage. They can then use these synonyms to rephrase sentences from the article.
– Future Predictions
Instructions: Based on the article, students will discuss and write down their predictions about the role of AI in the future. They will consider various sectors such as healthcare, education, entertainment, and more. Encourage them to use modal verbs of speculation (e.g., might, could, will) and to support their predictions with reasons. Share and discuss these predictions as a class.
π€ Comprehension Questions:
Artificial intelligence has been named the word of the year by Collins Dictionary in 2023.
According to the publisher, the use of the term "artificial intelligence" has quadrupled in the past year.
Alex Beecroft is the managing director of Collins who commented on the significance of AI in 2023.
The managing director of Collins compares the integration of AI into everyday life to technologies like email and streaming.
The announcement of the word of the year coincided with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hosting a summit to discuss how to maximize the benefits of AI while minimizing the risks.
The Beatles used AI technology to retrieve John Lennon's vocals from an old cassette for their upcoming release.
The word of the year in 2022 was "permacrisis," and it reflects the prevailing concerns of the time.
Other contenders for the word of the year in 2023 mentioned in the article include "ultraprocessed," "debanking," and "greedflation."
π§βοΈ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
The term "artificial intelligence" has been named the word of the year by Collins due to its increased usage in 2023. This reflects the conversations about the potential impact of AI on society, whether it will revolutionary advancements or catastrophic consequences. The noted that the use of this term has quadrupled in the past year, making it a significant topic of discussion. According to Collins managing director Alex Beecroft, AI has a focal point of 2023, with its rapid and integration into life comparable to technologies like and streaming. The profound impact of artificial intelligence on our rapidly evolving world, driven by the power of algorithms and data, has led to its selection as the word of the year. The announcement coincides with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hosting a summit to discuss how to maximize the of AI while minimizing the . Additionally, the use of AI by the Beatles to retrieve John Lennon's vocals from an old cassette for their upcoming release its diverse applications. The word of the year typically reflects the prevailing concerns of the time. In 2022, it was "permacrisis," while 2020 was dominated by the word "lockdown." Other for the word of the year in 2023 included "ultraprocessed," "debanking," and "greedflation," reflecting the diverse range of that have captured public attention. Overall, the selection of "artificial intelligence" as the word of the year underscores the increasing of AI in discourse and its potential impact on various aspects of society.
π¬ Discussion Questions:
1. What do you understand by the term "artificial intelligence"?
2. How would you feel if artificial intelligence started making important decisions in your workplace?
3. Do you like the idea of AI being integrated into everyday life, such as in home appliances or personal devices?
4. Do you think that the rapid development of AI is more beneficial or harmful to society? Why?
5. What are some potential catastrophic consequences you could imagine resulting from the misuse of AI?
6. Can you think of an instance where AI has significantly improved a task or experience in your life?
7. How do you believe AI might change your chosen career field in the next decade?
8. What ethical concerns do you have about the use of AI in data collection and analysis?
9. Do you think there should be international regulations on AI development and implementation? Why or why not?
10. How do you feel about the use of AI in creative processes, such as music or art?
11. Do you think AI can ever truly replicate human creativity? Why or why not?
12. How would you react if you found out a piece of art or music you love was created by an AI?
13. What does the term "permacrisis" from last year's word of the year suggest to you about recent global events?
14. In what ways do you think AI could help address some of the issues reflected by the other contenders for word of the year, like "ultraprocessed," "debanking," and "greedflation"?
15. Do you believe that AI will ever reach a point where it can fully understand and replicate human emotions? Why or why not?
Individual Activities
ππ Vocabulary Meanings:
Click a dot next to a word, then click the dot next to its meaning to draw a line connecting them.
Words
Meanings
π‘ Multiple Choice Questions:
π΅οΈ True or False Questions:
π Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
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