‘Just for the sake of ease’: Three CCA students are split over whether AI is helpful

“AI has been taking over a lot of positions within the film industry that were usually meant for people to do, and it’s taken away a lot of jobs just for the sake of ease,” Seed Mitchell said.

Mitchell said the loss of simpler positions may push people to pursue bigger roles and challenge themselves more.

Mitchell was one of three Community College of Aurora students interviewed by FoxTalk about AI use, learning and work. The brief interviews do not measure broader student opinion.

Dennis Kalchyick, a construction management major, said he uses AI “mostly” every day.

“It gives you a clear answer,” Kalchyck said.

Asked whether he was excited about AI being integrated into construction management, Kalchyck said, “Yes, of course.”

Chemistry major Morgan Angell gave a different answer when asked about using AI in everyday life.

“I honestly don’t, no,” Angell said. “I go out of my way to avoid using AI.”

“I’m really disappointed in the way that it destroys the environment,” Angell said. “Right now we’re in a huge drought in Colorado and just knowing how much water it wastes and takes from people who need it, where we know the data centers are.”

“I just don’t want to contribute to that,” she said.

“I feel like it’s making workers less qualified,” Angell said. “I think it’s not helping them learn.”

Angell said AI can help with molecular structuring, but excessive use should be limited.

Mitchell also left room for AI in creative work, but not for fully AI-made art.

“AI can be helpful within art spaces, but when it comes to completely making art, it completely takes away, like, the idea behind the form of art and expression,” Mitchell said.

“I think that art fundamentally is the expression of a human being,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell said AI can assist with film projects but should not fully complete them.

“It should still be, like, directed by a person,” Mitchell said.