Joshua Corsentino, a Visual Communications major with a minor in Digital Studies, contacted the Argo to inform Stockton about his independent study: The Consumer Response to AI. The study is for his Digital Media Capstone under Professor MeeNa Ko.

Corsentino will be creating a graphic website to show visitors how people use AI and respond to it. The information is meant to inform, educate, and help people understand artificial intelligence and its progress in society. AI has made very rapid and unexpected advances in the past years, growing into a hot topic that brings a lot of mixed feelings across the spectrum.

There have been many portrayals of AI in entertainment, literature, social media, and more, but now it is moving from science fiction to reality. This controversial topic has many people praising AI for its benefits and condemning it for its effects on jobs, studies, and other major areas in society.

“I want to be an unbiased source to get facts down,” Corsentino told the Argo. “I’m trying to show people the pros and cons of AI from an [objective] standpoint. They can decide whether or not it’s beneficial to their line of work.”

To collect the data needed, Corsentino has created a survey via Google Forms. The questions aim to uncover opinions, expectations, and even fears about the development of artificial intelligence and what people speculate will happen with it in the near future.

While students have been contacted to fill out the survey, anyone is welcome to take it and contribute to the data. Preferably, Corsentino aims for both sides of the spectrum; those that never or barely use AI, and those that heavily or almost always use it in daily life. The data will then be input into graphs on the website to show what opinions responders have about AI. Anyone who gives consent to being represented on the graph will be added.

The study is important in order to gauge how the near future will be like with AI involved at such a heavy scale. “It’s never going away,” Corsentino stated. “It’s going to be in our world for who knows how long. I’ve come to see that it’s better to know as much as possible. Even if you won’t use it, it’s good to have that knowledge if you do come across it, because eventually you will.” AI is likely the new era of technology entering into daily life, much like how the internet and social media integrated into society two to three decades ago.

The study has been interesting and fun for Corsentino so far. “I’ve been having a fun time researching,” he said. “I’ve learned a lot of new things, and how people use AI in their everyday lives. It’s mind-blowing that we’ve come so far since the pandemic.” For those electing to take the survey, he stated: “Thank you for sharing your time and opinions; it really helps out to know how people view it. Anyone that visits the website will feel informed.”

While there is no set deadline, responses are preferably needed by the end of March/early April. The presentation on Coresntino’s study is due in the month of April. “It would be helpful if I can get enough responses in that time frame,” Corsentino clarified.

Keep a lookout on information kiosks and TVs for flyers advertising the survey. The survey takes 30 seconds to a minute to complete. Statements are only included on the public website if consent is given.