Teachers as Products
“JARIS, run some simulations on my prototype 0.1 for a net-zero fault-tolerant quantum computing facility at Changi Business Park. I’ve uploaded the 3D files into the system.”
“Sure Sam! What would you like to set as parameters and measures for the simulation?”
“Let’s simulate for a year based on predicted computational demand. Let’s see if the Greenhouse Gases captured and produced would be net-zero by the end of the year”, replied Sam.
“Sure. Would you like to consider simulating just the busiest month? It will take less time to run and could be a sufficient approximation. Would you also like to run the simulation based on different configurations of quantum computers within the facility?”
Sam ponders over JARIS’ questions. He knows that his AI co-pilot would probably have a long list of follow-up questions and decides that he probably could gather some experts in the field to answer JARIS.
“Call up Prof Richard Feynman, Prof Henk Pym and Dr Ho Shen Yong please. I would like to discuss this with them.”
After a short pause, JARIS replies, “Professors Feynman and Dr Ho are available. Visiting Professor Henk Pym’s Persona is not available at the moment and his physical self is on vacation. Would you like to consider one of his students?”
“Sure, why not?”
“Here is a list of Professor Pym’s students with their ratings and their area of specialization. Do note that some of them are not within the university’s panel of tutors, teachers and experts. You would need to pay for their services. I have included their hourly charges (as a Persona and in person) on the side as needed.”
Sam looks through the list. One of them looks ̶c̶u̶t̶e̶ smart to him, seems to have sufficient knowledge on performance design for quantum computing and reasonable reviews. Upon confirmation, JARIS projects the three Personas onto the screen of Sam’s VR headset. Sam greets the Personas and starts consulting them on JARIS’ questions.
In fact, he consults them fairly often over the next few weeks, and from time to time, other experts are also called in, including Professor Pym eventually. For a vast majority of these instances, the experts appear as their AI Personas. Sam does not mind. He does not like to make small talk and sometimes their real accent and prose get in the way of his learning.
At the end of the semester, he presents his prototype to Changi Business Park Group as the final assessment for one of his sophomore undergraduate courses with the university.
Meanwhile, in another part of the city…
“Sir, Madam is asking you to join her at the dining table. it’s time for dinner.”
“Thanks, SAMANTHA. Tell her that I just need a few more minutes to tweak my Persona in JARIS.” Professor Pym replies.
He continues to tweak his 3D profile and tutoring behaviour in his home office. Finally, he seems happy enough, takes off his VR glasses and calls out, “SOPHIA, please simulate how many students would prefer my new look and teaching style. If there is an improvement, just upload to JARIS.”
