On this page, there are three texts. The first is a reading, and then there are 2 listening activities. For each of the activities, there are vocabulary activities for you to complete before the text, and then there’s an activity to check your understanding.
Cynthia Ward
Before you read Cynthia’s opinion on AI, complete the vocabulary activity.
Honestly, I think AI is mostly hype. Every time a new piece of technology appears, people start talking as if the whole world is about to be transformed. We’ve seen this so many times before. A few impressive demonstrations are shown online, billions are invested, and suddenly we’re told that human workers are going to be replaced. Then, after a few years, the weaknesses are discovered and everybody quietly moves on to the next trend.
People are constantly being told that AI can “think”, but I don’t believe that for a second. Information is processed quickly, yes, but real understanding is completely different. Human judgement cannot simply be copied by a machine. I work with people every day, and most real problems are solved through experience, instinct, and communication — not by generating answers from a database.
To be honest, I avoid AI tools as much as possible. I don’t use chatbots, and I’ve never understood why people are so impressed by them. Half the information that is generated is inaccurate anyway. The only technology I really depend on is GPS because I’m terrible with directions, and I admit that spell check is useful sometimes. I also don’t mind getting restaurant recommendations from Google when I’m travelling. Apart from that, though, I’d rather think for myself.
What really annoys me is the way AI products are being advertised almost like magic. Investors are being promised impossible things, and ordinary people are being encouraged to trust systems they barely understand. I’m sure some repetitive office tasks will eventually be automated, but society is not going to be run by robots any time soon. Human beings are far more adaptable than technology companies would like us to believe.
Now complete this activity. Can you select the topics Cynthia mentioned?
Leo Bright
Before you read Leo’s opinion on AI, complete the vocabulary activity.
Now listen to Leo talk about AI.
Transcript
Personally, I think we’re living through one of the most exciting moments in human history. People focus too much on the risks of AI, but they forget how many problems could finally be solved. For the first time, technology is being developed that could remove huge amounts of unnecessary work from people’s lives.
If you think about it, millions of hours are wasted every day on repetitive tasks that nobody actually enjoys. Forms are filled in, emails are answered, traffic is sat in, appointments are organised — so much human energy is consumed by boring systems. I honestly believe most of that could eventually be automated, and people would finally have more freedom to focus on creativity, relationships, and meaningful work.
In healthcare alone, incredible progress is already being made. Diseases are being detected earlier, operations are being assisted by machines, and new medicines are being developed much faster than before. Education could also be transformed completely. Lessons could be personalised, students could be supported individually, and knowledge could be shared globally in ways that were impossible only a few years ago.
I know some people are frightened by all this, but every major technological change in history was criticised at first. Electricity was feared. The internet was feared. Even books were criticised when they first became common because people thought memory skills would be destroyed.
Of course, mistakes will be made while these systems are being improved, but overall I think humanity is being given an enormous opportunity. If AI is used responsibly, many of the problems that have limited human potential for centuries could finally be reduced. Honestly, I think future generations will probably look back at this period as the beginning of a much more liberated society.
Now complete this activity. Can you remember what Leo said?
Read the sentences about what Leo said and decide if they are true or false.
Mara Vale
Before you listen to Mara’s opinion on AI, complete the vocabulary activity.
Now listen to Mara talk about AI.
Transcript
I think people are sleepwalking into a situation they don’t really understand. Most people assume technology is making life easier, but they rarely stop and ask what is actually being exchanged in return. Every message that is sent, every product that is searched for, and every video that is watched is being recorded somewhere. Huge amounts of personal information are being collected constantly, and almost none of it is truly private anymore.
What worries me is that this isn’t accidental. Systems are being designed very carefully to shape behaviour. The news that is seen online is filtered by algorithms, recommendations are controlled automatically, and opinions are quietly influenced through personalised content. Most people think they’re making independent decisions, but I’m not convinced that’s still true.
AI is often presented as a tool for convenience, but I think convenience is being used as a distraction. Once enough dependence has been created, control becomes much easier. Cash is already being replaced by digital payment systems, surveillance technology is being normalised in public spaces, and facial recognition is being introduced more widely every year. Step by step, more aspects of daily life are being monitored and analysed.
The part that concerns me most is how willingly all this is being accepted. People are carrying tracking devices in their pockets all day and voluntarily sharing personal information online. At the same time, more jobs are being automated, more communication is being controlled through platforms, and more decisions are being influenced by systems nobody elected.
I’m not against technology completely. Obviously, some inventions are useful. But I think far stricter limits should be introduced before too much power is handed over to governments and technology corporations. Once freedoms have been lost, they are rarely given back voluntarily.
Read the questions about Mara’s ideas about AI and select the best answers.
🙂