Detain/Release or Text-to-Image
For this particular task, below are the three prompts I have written to Microsoft Copilot to generate images one-by-one.
(1) A historical timeline of writing technologies, showing the evolution from ancient scripts like cuneiform to modern digital texts. The timeline includes key moments like the invention of the printing press and the rise of the internet.
Reflection: The result was pretty close to accurate in terms of highlighting a historical timeline, but the design of the timeline was somewhat abstract. The key moments (such as the invention of the printing press and the rise of the internet) were visually represented, but the clarity of the progression could have been more intuitive. The timeline was somewhat fragmented in places, making it harder to trace a clear, chronological flow. I expected a transparent, more linear timeline that could easily be followed, perhaps with labeled points for clarity. The model seems to prioritize visual creativity over strict historical accuracy.
(2) A digital classroom where students are using various devices like tablets and laptops to interact with a hypertext-based textbook. The classroom is diverse, with different cultural backgrounds represented in the students.
Reflection: The generated image was very close to what I had in mind. It depicted a diverse classroom with students engaged with various devices, and the textbook was portrayed as an interactive digital medium, somewhat similar to a hypertext system. The one area that differed from my expectations was the nature of the textbook. The model seems to have a strong grasp of depicting modern digital tools and diversity in classroom settings.
(3) An abstract visualization of how information is processed in the brain when reading a digital article versus reading a printed book. The digital article shows interconnected links, and the book shows linear progression.
Reflection: The AI-generated image reflected the comparison between digital and printed text in the brain’s processing quite well. It showed interconnected links for the digital text and a linear progression for the printed book, which aligns with the conceptual difference I was hoping to illustrate. The image was somewhat more stylized than expected. The model seems to excel at abstract and artistic interpretations of concepts but may struggle to accurately capture scientific or educational representations.
The use of algorithmic systems in decision-making processes, such as the Detain/Release simulation, shed light to some of the most important ethical concerns revolving around risk assessments at the pretrial stage (Porcaro, 2019). This tool, designed to simulate the impact of algorithmic risk assessments, demonstrates how algorithms can potentially influence the justice system by determining whether individuals should be detained or released before trial (Porcaro, 2019, January 8). Similarly, predictive text prompts, commonly found in online forums like Reddit (n.d.), showcase how algorithms can shape creative narratives, prompting new insights into how technology can mediate and produce text in unexpected ways.
References:
- Porcaro, K. (2019). Detain/Release [web simulation]. Berkman Klein Center.
- Porcaro, K. (2019, January 8). Detain/Release: simulating algorithmic risk assessments at pretrial.
- Prompts for predictive text stories: r/predictivetextprompts Links to an external site. [Online forum]. (n.d.). Reddit. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
