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Assignment Introductionthis Will Be Our Final Research Essay

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Assignment Introductionthis Will Be Our Final Research Essay Of The Co

This will be our final research essay of the course. I'm assigning it today so that you have as much time as possible to work on it. Get started on it as soon as you have submitted your Synthesis Essay (Informative Report). Research requires a large time commitment, so you don't want to procrastinate on the research, planning, and drafting of this essay. The good news is that you have already started working on background research for this essay.

You will see below that this essay asks you to research and write an argument about a topic related to artificial intelligence (AI). Many of you will find that you can use some of the same research sources in this essay that you used in your Synthesis Essay (Informative Report). Some of you will find that you can use some of the same writing from the Synthesis Essay (Informative Report) in this essay. However, be careful to consider your purpose if you choose to use any writing from the previous essay in this essay. You are free to reuse material you've already located through research and that you have written in previous assignments for this class, but you will likely have to re-purpose your older writing to fit the requirements of this assignment.

Reports and arguments each have different purposes. Review pages 55-6 for ways to think carefully about the purpose of your writing. A Note on Grading and Feedback for First Drafts: Please note that you will not receive written feedback from me on the essay's first draft. You will get written feedback from me on the essay's revision. You will also conduct peer review of other students' drafts and receive peer feedback on your draft.

The first draft serves as a checkpoint in this crucial stage of the writing process. Writing a complete essay draft ensures that you can produce your best writing when you work on the revision. Consequently, the first draft will be graded complete / incomplete. Make sure you submit a complete essay to earn credit for this draft. If you have any questions at all about your essay, please ask me. Due Date: Submit your first draft to this assignment space as a Word document by 11:59pm Friday, 6/12.

Format: Format your essay using MLA style guidelines in 12-point type, use Times New Roman font, and use MLA citations. See pages 586-87 of our textbook for more information about formatting a paper using MLA style. See pages 588-96 for an example of an essay formatted in MLA style.

Length: Words (MLA headings and works cited lists are excluded from the word count)

Assignment Purpose: The skills required to complete the research paper are the skills necessary to complete your college degree and to work within the larger contemporary culture. The ability to find quality, reliable information and use that information to address contemporary problems large and small is the most valued skill in most professional cultures.

You will use every skill we have worked on this semester: summary, analysis, evaluation, synthesis, and argument. The research paper marks the culmination of your work in critical thinking and writing.

Essay Topic: You must make an argument about artificial intelligence based on your research. That means you must compose a clear, limited thesis. The thesis must be arguable. You must support your thesis with strong chains of reasoning based in evidence. All claims must be supported by evidence. You must also make it clear to your audience why your argument matters. Why should they care about this? Persuade us that reading your paper is worthwhile.

You must also address doubts and questions about, as well as counterarguments to, your position. Addressing opposing viewpoints builds your credibility as a writer. You must assume that your audience is skeptical of your claims. Avoid broad generalizations and supposedly self-evident claims. Be precise and exhaustive in your explanations.

You must synthesize a minimum of three academic sources (scholarly, peer-reviewed sources) to use as evidence in support of your argument (you may also include other sources to provide context). Use this evidence concretely and with specificity. That is, simply parroting someone else’s general opinion is not evidence in itself. You must synthesize a minimum of six sources total in the research paper.

Essay Checklist: Essay Opening - The opening paragraphs of your essay should provide thorough background and context about your essay's topic. Your thesis should be presented in this opening section. The opening may consist of several paragraphs.

Content: Accurate interpretation and incorporation of source texts; Minimum of six credible sources synthesized in the essay, at least three of which must be academic (peer-reviewed) sources; A convincing chain of reasoning supported by concrete evidence; Direct quotations and examples from sources.

Body Paragraphs: A sensible organization that builds on your thesis; Topic sentences must develop the thesis throughout; Unified and cohesive paragraphs; Logical transitions between paragraphs; Effective incorporation of quoted support, with proper formatting of in-text citation and a works cited page; Concise

sentences free from grammar and punctuation errors.

Format: 12-point type, Times New Roman or equivalent; MLA format (heading, parenthetical quotations, works cited page); Relevant title that indicates the content of your essay; Indent the first line of each paragraph; Left-justified (do not center or right-justify your text).

Paper For Above instruction

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a defining technological advancement of the twenty-first century, fundamentally transforming various sectors such as healthcare, finance, transportation, and entertainment. As AI technology proliferates, it brings about significant ethical, social, and economic implications that merit careful examination and debate. The purpose of this research essay is to argue that while AI offers substantial benefits, it also poses profound risks that require vigilant regulation and ethical oversight to ensure it serves the common good.

The exponential growth of AI capabilities has led to unprecedented efficiencies and innovations. For example, in medicine, AI-driven diagnostics and personalized treatment plans have improved accuracy and patient outcomes (Topol, 2019). Similarly, in finance, algorithms minimize risks and streamline transactions, contributing to economic stability and growth (Brynjolfsson & McAfee, 2017). However, these benefits are accompanied by notable concerns—particularly regarding employment displacement, privacy violations, and the potential for autonomous systems to cause harm unintentionally. These issues underscore the necessity for robust regulatory frameworks and ethical guidelines (Raji et al., 2020).

One of the most pressing ethical challenges posed by AI pertains to employment. Automation driven by AI threatens to displace millions of jobs across industries, exacerbating economic inequality and social unrest (Frey & Osborne, 2017). While proponents argue that AI will create new employment opportunities, skeptics warn that the pace of technological change may outstrip society’s ability to adapt, leading to widespread unemployment and underemployment (Susskind & Susskind, 2015). Addressing this challenge requires comprehensive policy responses including retraining programs, social safety nets, and ethical design practices that prioritize human-centric values.

Privacy is another critical issue associated with AI proliferation. Advanced AI systems often rely on vast datasets, including sensitive personal information, raising concerns about data security and individual rights (Narayanan & Shmatikov, 2020). Incidents of data breaches and misuse underscore the importance of stringent privacy protections and transparent data handling practices. Ethical AI development must

include accountability measures, clear consent mechanisms, and ongoing oversight to protect citizens’ privacy rights while fostering technological innovation.

The potential misuse of AI, particularly in autonomous weapons and surveillance, further complicates the ethical landscape. Autonomous weapons systems could target individuals without human oversight, raising accountability and humanitarian concerns (Cummings, 2017). Similarly, AI-powered surveillance tools risk infringing on civil liberties and enabling authoritarian regimes to suppress dissent (Zuboff, 2019). The development and deployment of such systems necessitate international regulations and ethical standards to prevent abuse and promote responsible innovation.

Despite these risks, AI also offers promising opportunities to address urgent global challenges, such as climate change and public health crises. For example, AI models have been used to optimize renewable energy systems, improve climate modeling, and predict disease outbreaks with greater accuracy (Rolnick et al., 2019). These advancements highlight the importance of harnessing AI responsibly for societal benefit, emphasizing the role of ethical governance in maximizing positive outcomes.

In conclusion, artificial intelligence has the potential to revolutionize society positively, but without careful regulation and ethical oversight, it could exacerbate existing inequalities and create new threats. Policymakers, technologists, and stakeholders must work collaboratively to develop comprehensive frameworks that govern AI development and deployment ethically and responsibly. Only through vigilant oversight can we ensure that AI advances serve humanity’s best interests, promoting innovation while safeguarding fundamental rights and societal values.

References

Brynjolfsson, E., & McAfee, A. (2017).

The Second Machine Age: Work, Progress, and Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies

. W. W. Norton & Company.

Cummings, M. L. (2017). The code of ethics for autonomous weapons systems.

IEEE Transactions on AA

. Frey, C. B., & Osborne, M. A. (2017). The future of employment: How susceptible are jobs to

computerisation?

Technological Forecasting and Social Change , 114, 254-280.

Narayanan, A., & Shmatikov, V. (2020). Privacy risks of machine learning.

Communications of the ACM , 63(2), 28-30.

Rolnick, D., et al. (2019). Tackling climate change with machine learning.

ACM Queue , 17(1), 80-94.

Raji, I. D., et al. (2020). Closing the AI accountability gap: Defining an end-to-end framework for internal algorithmic audits.

Proceedings of the 2020 Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency

. Susskind, R., & Susskind, D. (2015). The future of the professions: How technology will transform the work of human experts.

Oxford University Press

. Topol, E. J. (2019). Deep medicine: How artificial intelligence can make healthcare human again.

Basic Books

Zuboff, S. (2019). The age of surveillance capitalism: The fight for a human future at the new frontier of power.

PublicAffairs

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