Technology

By Patrick Xu ‘27 Given the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning is as relevant as ever in the real world—notably, in education. In the fall term of the 2024-2025 school year, Phillips Academy offers an advanced computer science (CS) course on Machine Learning, taught by Dr. Nicholas Zufelt. Offering a multifaceted curriculum and personalised assistance, students in this course work closely with artificial intelligence to understand how they operate.  While this course is undoubtedly fascinating, the reasons students selected it varied. When Bill Ke ’27 describes his thought process, he reflects on previous CS courses he has taken at Phillips Academy: “I chose to take Machine Learning because in Scientific Computing last spring term, I did a bit of...

By Zachary Yuan '27 As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes industries worldwide, students at Andover are exploring how it can impact their futures. The Andover AI Club provides a platform where students from diverse backgrounds can explore the transformative potential of AI through hands-on projects, ethical discussions, and real-world applications. Through their work in the club, Andover students are not only building technical skills but are also examining the broader implications of AI in fields like healthcare, education, creativity, and mental health—preparing to shape a future where AI plays an increasingly central role. The club’s board members are particularly passionate about AI's potential to reshape the world. Paige Zhu ’27 has “always been interested in the intersection...

By: Alfonso Gonzalez-Cano ‘27 Artificial Intelligence has exploded in popularity in past years, bringing millions of users to different LLMs (Large Language Models) such as Snapchat’s My AI, Google’s Gemini, and OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Part of AI’s appeal stems from its production of seemingly original text based on any prompt. However, does this text feature a unique voice? In this study, I prompted the three different LLMs — ChatGPT, Gemini, and Snapcaht’s My AI — with twelve complex topics and recorded each AI’s opinion. Topics included RAM, derivatives, constellations, programming, temperature, value, AI learning, global warming, copyright, entropy, chance of death, and nuclear weapons. After each LLM responded, I analyzed the transcripts and recorded the most common words, bigrams (tw...

By: Zadie Robinson ‘26 Nicholas Thompson, an esteemed American technology journalist and media executive, has left a memorable mark on the world of digital journalism and technology discourse. With a career spanning pivotal roles at Wired, The Atlantic, and The New Yorker, Thompson's journey reflects the evolving nature of journalism in the digital age. As the former editor-in-chief of Wired and editor of New Yorker, his tenure witnessed the implementation of digital paywalls, resulting in significant increases in digital subscriptions, a testament to his strategic insight in navigating the shifting tides of media monetization. Throughout his career, he has remained deeply engaged in discussions about the intersection of technology, media, and society, grappling with complex ethical con...