Unravelling the Evolution of Generative AI in Communication Education

Abstract

This chapter traces the historical evolution of human-machine communication, highlighting generative AI's transformative role. It begins with the origins of AI and early communication technologies, including Alan Turing's pioneering work and the development of Turing machines, as well as early AI experiments in human-machine interaction. The narrative then transitions to AI's evolution and the emergence of generative models, spotlighting advancements like recurrent neural networks (RNNs) and long short-term memory (LSTM) networks, which are fundamental to coherent text generation. The pivotal role of generative AI in language and communication learning is explored, showcasing its impact on writing skills and comprehension. Ethical considerations in AI usage are discussed, including bias, privacy, and ethical communication practices. The chapter concludes by envisioning AI's future in communication pedagogy, emphasizing collaboration between educators and AI developers and recapitulating historical insights for the integration of AI in education.