By Will Lopes, Staff Writer

In recent weeks, Xavier University announced that they would be adding five new majors for the 2025-26 school year, most notably an undergraduate artificial intelligence (AI) program. While having new programs such as neuroscience and genetics that would diversify Xavier’s curriculum, an AI major is highly counterintuitive to Xavier’s mission and fosters harmful values around campus. 

My main gripe with introducing an artificial intelligence major is that I believe it removes the creative and emotional aspects that are needed in pretty much every skill set. Humans facing a problem in their work or social life could respond with affection and compassion, or even negative emotions depending on the situation. But even the strongest AIs could never replicate that. By introducing the new artificial intelligence major, Xavier is a contributing factor in making our world more black and white. 

There is also the issue that most of the commonly used AI systems, mainly large language models (LLMS), are often wrong and deemed unreliable by researchers. These “intelligent” systems that new students will be working with are really not so intelligent. On ChatGPT’s home page, it reads, “ChatGPT can make mistakes.” Brent Mittelstadt, the director of research at the Oxford Internet Institute says that lots of outputs from LLMs are either “slightly wrong or slightly biased, or where you need some specific expertise to tell that it’s wrong.” If you’ve ever used ChatGPT to cheat on a quiz, you know this to be true on a firsthand basis. 

The increased risk of job displacement is another huge threat that comes with introducing an AI major into Xavier’s course curriculum. The reduction in workforce that will inevitably come with a widespread increased use of AI is insurmountable. While some may argue that this is only natural and it will also create plenty more new jobs, this will undoubtedly create more stress and invasiveness for workers everywhere, while also likely contributing even more to America’s growing wealth inequality. The McKinsey Global Institute estimates that 30% of all hours worked in the US could be automated by the year 2030, showing that this is clearly a different issue than the transition from agriculture to industrialization.

A lot of Xavier’s core curriculum is heavily concerned with six Jesuit values of education. Whether it be in the classroom or on the walls all across campus, they are a big part of Xavier’s identity and Xavier’s other Jesuit university counterparts. By introducing the Artificial Intelligence major into Xavier’s classrooms, a case can be made that it counteracts on all six of the Jesuit values that are so heavily promoted by Xavier. 

Magis is impeded because the use of AI in no way promotes being receptive to new ideas and innovative solutions, while also eliminating opportunities to grow and improve. 

Reflection is hampered due to the fact that AI is not open and transparent, and rather than acknowledging biases in our world, it promotes bias. 

Discernment is invalidated because AI does not act authentically, does not make decisions with consultation and is not compassionate or emotionally driven.

Cura Personalis is nullified in view of the fact that AI is not guided by empathy and compassion, and it does not value a diverse and dignified community. 

Solidarity & Kinship are hindered because AI cannot develop relationships, and it does not bring its users closer together. Instead of using skills and talent to help others, it wastes human talent and disregards expressiveness. 

Service Rooted in Justice & Love is restrained because the growing use of AI in no way contributes to the greater good of anyone. By adding to wealth inequality it completely disregards injustice in our society.