One hundred students across ATN’s member universities put pen to paper to answer one of our largest modern day challenges – how do you remain human in an AI-enabled world?
In ATN Universities’ inaugural student essay competition, we asked up-and-coming graduates and PhD students to reflect on our changing relationships with technology and examine the impact of artificial intelligence on their lives, relationships and careers.
The three winners recently visited the ATN office in Melbourne, where they received their prizes, met the team and were interviewed on their standout essays. We are pleased to announce that the three winners were RMIT students Premaansh Vyas, Zakiyyah Auchoybur, and Gayathri Kotuwegedara.
ATN Executive Director Dr Andy Marks said that the entries demonstrated strong depth of critical thinking from Australia’s next generation of leaders.
“Artificial intelligence may change the way that we work and live, but the essays we have received as part of this competition are proof that the human spirit is an enduring force, and that humanity remains our greatest strength. Our students have challenged us to think beyond the impact of new technology, and consider the values of humanity that cannot be replaced or replicated.”
Winner of the first prize was Premaansh Vyas, a student at RMIT University studying a Bachelor of Software Engineering.
Premaansh’s essay drew on his own experiences of being human; taking a long journey on the V/Line train with no Wi-Fi connection, listening to his mother’s voice notes instead of reading the AI-generated transcription, and reflecting on his mother’s habit of keeping a physical diary. Premaansh’s essay left us with a poignant message: we don’t need to reject AI to remain human, but cherish the rituals and traditions we value as human beings.
Second place winner: Zakiyyah Auchoybur, an RMIT University student studying a PHD in Mechanical Engineering
Zakiyyah’s essay was composed of two parts; the first, where a narrator converses with an AI companion, slowly revelling in the limitations of artificial connections, before developing a desire to reconnect with their humanity. The second part followed this narrator reconnecting with themselves and embracing the mundane aspects of the human experience that are central to what make us human.
Third place winner: Gayathri Kotuwegedara, a student studying a PHD in Mechanical Engineering at RMIT
Gayathri’s essay reflects on her experiences as both a researcher and as a Sri Lankan woman, examining the growing importance of AI as a tool in research, and questioning the ability of AI to relate to the lived cultural experiences of human beings. Gayathri concludes that although AI may be able to mimic and relay these experiences, the vital component of humanity is missing, and that remaining human is an active practice that we all must pursue.
ATN Universities congratulates all participants in our essay competition on their submissions and thank them for their contributions. With 100 entries received, our independent judging panel made up of representatives from our member universities were pleased with the high quality and thoughtful reflections made by students across the ATN.
