Bill Bennett, a former minister of education, has released a statement in reaction to the resignation of Harvard President Claudine Gay during an appearance on Varney & Co.
Amidst his ongoing dispute with the university’s administration and a recent accusation involving a prominent woman, billionaire Bill Ackman has declared his intention to utilize artificial intelligence (AI) to evaluate the faculty and leadership at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, the founder and CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management announced that his recent declaration about conducting an AI assessment of all current MIT faculty, President Sally Kornbluth, members of the administration, and the board likely elicited a collective gasp across the campus.
Ackman questioned the reasoning behind this initiative, emphasizing that everyone within the university is cognizant of the forthcoming scrutiny from AI on their respective roles. He highlighted that AI has the capability to detect various forms of academic misconduct, including missing quotation marks, improper paraphrasing, and insufficient crediting of other authors’ work.
Furthermore, Ackman pointed out that while AI can pinpoint instances of plagiarism, it paradoxically excels at replicating it. He observed that computers lack inherent knowledge and often mimic speech patterns from human sources. Consequently, he suggested that all higher education institutions must elevate their plagiarism detection protocols in response to advancements in AI technology.
Bill Ackman, the founder and CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management, is advocating for an AI-driven examination of plagiarism at MIT and other prestigious universities. He emphasized the need for institutions such as Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, Penn, and Dartmouth to address plagiarism allegations internally to avoid potential external investigations.
Recognizing the substantial undertaking involved, Ackman proposed the establishment of an AI startup dedicated to conducting these assessments, expressing a potential interest in investing in such a venture. He also stressed the importance of an impartial third party overseeing the review process.
In instances where a paper fails an AI plagiarism test, Ackman highlighted that the response may vary based on the nature of the plagiarism, whether it stems from negligence, unintentional errors, or deliberate theft of significant ideas without proper attribution.
In a separate development, Sally Kornbluth, the leader of MIT, has retained her position amidst a controversy surrounding racism at the institution. The university’s board of trustees affirmed their commitment to upholding MIT’s essential contributions to the world’s advancement, safety, and well-being.
Addressing allegations of plagiarism against Neri Oxman, Ackman’s spouse, she acknowledged the absence of quotation marks in her doctoral thesis and vowed to address any necessary attributions. Following Ackman’s announcement of a plagiarism probe at MIT, additional accusations surfaced, implicating Oxman in instances of plagiarism within her dissertation and other works.
Bill Ackman’s call for the resignation of individuals who supported Claudine Gay, the former President of Harvard, resonated in the aftermath of the racism controversy at the university. Gay and Penn President Liz Magill eventually stepped down from their positions.
In response to the subsequent accusations against Neri Oxman, Ackman indicated that she would address the new claims in due course. He also initiated a conversation regarding the utilization of Wikipedia definitions without appropriate attribution, questioning its implications in the context of plagiarism.
Reflecting on the resignations of Gay, Magill, and Kornbluth, Ackman criticized their leadership, asserting that they lacked the essential moral integrity required for their roles, especially in challenging circumstances. He and others believed that their departure or removal was justified considering these deficiencies.
