AI at the music school?
While the concept of digitizing music schools was launched before ChatGPT appeared on the scene, the thinking process has been extended to include the new AI tools. Richard-Emmanuel Eastes, the expert commissioned by ASEM to take part in the development of this dossier, takes stock of their possible use.
Richard-Emmanuel Eastes holds a doctorate in educational science and philosophy, and is a scientific mediator, consultant, lecturer and head of educational development and innovation at the HES-SO, where he is also a member of the IA Steering Group.
Richard-Emmanuel Eastes, how can AI help a music school?
We need to distinguish between tools and uses, and in the ASEM approach, it's the uses that interest us. We've divided them into four categories: administration, teaching, music creation and communication. Chatbots (such as ChatGPT) are very useful for assisting us with time-consuming and unrewarding tasks, such as writing letters, taking minutes at a meeting or drawing up small reports. AI can convert handwritten notes, for example, and help us structure documents, course syllabuses and timetables. Other tools are available to generate illustrative images or even videos.
For music-making itself, there are specialized tools, such as Metronaute, a kind of augmented karaoke (see Focus article on page ???). Other creative tools save time by helping us find sounds and ideas, and ultimately make us more creative. Other applications compose for us, which may frighten some musicians. But they can also be used as pedagogical tools, for example, to identify weaknesses. A final interesting use of AI is linked to inclusion, where it can help us better teach students with special needs.
Thirty years ago, we thought computers would save us time. Today, however, administrative tasks seem to be taking up more and more of our time. Will AI be the solution?
There's been a rebound effect from digitization: it's enabled us to organize ourselves better, and the time we've saved we've put into making administrative processes more complex. We've created more rules, more procedures, which have made us spend time on tasks we weren't doing before. We can imagine AI doing some of these tasks for us, but I think there will be a second rebound effect. Everything will go faster, and we'll be expected to do everything faster too. So I don't foresee a reduction in workloads thanks to AI - quite the contrary.
Please note, however, that ASEM, the umbrella association, is not obliged to do anything. On a personal level, if you feel that your violin lesson should remain the last bastion without digital technology, that doesn't bother me at all. Being aware of the immense political, societal and environmental stakes involved, I'm not a defender of AI at any price.
Visit ASEM digitalization conceptTo find out more, visit our website.
