[Avodah] AI in the Bet Medrash

[Micha Berger]

On Wed, Jan 31, 2024 at 05:58:56AM Israel Time, R Joel Rich wrote:
> There are those that project that with advances in AI and VR, within 5-10
> years instead of teaching Socratic texts students will interact with
> Socrates in an open Socratic dialog. Will those who say AI psak is not
> appropriate also say that an AI/VR bet medrash is problematic?

My problem was that we would need an AI that was trained on teshuvos and
the like to get one that not only "knows" the relevant sources (which
could be given in prompts, even if by a database), but also "knows" the
ineffible feel for how those facts are to be evaluated. The shiqul hadaas
that comes from shimush talmidei chakhamim. Evan with such training,
it still wouldn't be the same. Do you want a pesaq on kibud av va'eim
from someone who never had a parent, doesn't miss that they didn't have
a parent, and doesn't even experience missing things. Recall what MRAH
answered the mal'akhim -- this is the very reason why lo nitenah haTorah
lemalakhei hashareis.

Others have pointed out the issue of siyata diShamaya, which a poseiq gets
that someone learning lomdus or some other lo lemaaseh doesn't receive.

Both of those issues are specific to pesaq.

That said, a VR or Augmented Reality (AR) contact is closer to real human
contact. But is it the same? Just knowing the person is physically present
matters on an emotional level. I am not saying that a VR Beis Medrash is
"problematic", just that being in a real Beis Medrash with live human
beings is bound to be superior. And the AI, one large step yet further.

:-)BBii!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger                 "As long as the candle is still burning,
http://www.aishdas.org/asp   it is still possible to accomplish and to
Author: Widen Your Tent      mend."
- https://amzn.to/2JRxnDF        - Anonymous shoemaker to R' Yisrael Salanter