Keith Robinson

Context

What do you teach and how have you been thinking about artificial intelligence in the context of those courses?

I teach property law, patent law, AI Law & Litigation, and an advanced IP seminar. There are conversations about AI in each area of law. It is likely that within the next 3-5 years, we will see significant legal developments in multiple areas. My focus right now is to make sure my students are aware of these issues and have a framework for thinking about how future problems might be resolved.

Strategies

Has the development of generative AI changed how you teach?

In my seminar class, I used AI to generate ideas for in-class activities that would help the students discuss the issues in creative ways. The AI usually had a better idea than I could have come up with, and using it helped me keep the activities new and fresh. One such activity involved the students prompting AI to help them write a three-panel comic strip about a particular legal issue. The students then had to draw the comic. This forced the students to evaluate whether AI understood the issue enough to inject humor. We learned that AI is not great at comedy (well-documented) and that it is difficult to boil complex legal issues down to their essence.

Impact

How have students responded to these changes? What have you learned and how will it shape your teaching moving forward?

My students are very tech-savvy, but also have approached generative AI with a great deal of caution and skepticism.

Lessons Learned

What advice do you have for others who are asking similar questions and considering similar changes?

The best way to understand how certain AI tools work is to use them. Pick a work task and attempt to use an AI tool to help you.

Disciplinary Insights

How might your discipline help students prepare for a world in which AI is ubiquitous?

I think understanding the legal implications of AI use will be important for every business.