Automation, AI, and Coding: Practical Applications in Japanese Studies 2024.11.14

CAS Luncheon Series
Thursday, November 14 at 12:30pm
Denison Arts & Sciences, room 146

This presentation offers a framework to explore automating various aspects of work in Japanese studies using AI tools such as ChatGPT and CoPilot. Progressively complex use cases will demonstrate solutions requiring little to no technical expertise, advancing to more sophisticated solutions that highlight AI's limits in automation and problem solving.

The framework I propose is built on several interrelated pillars: verifiability; expedience; expertise, both in subject matter and technical prowess; and active vs. passive learning.

  • Verifiability: This core pillar scrutinizes the accuracy of automation solutions. Does checking the accuracy of AI’s outputs take more time than manual completion?
  • Expedience: verifying AI's outputs should be easy and straightforward. Can an automation solution using AI be utilized without substantial investment in new skills?
  • Passive/Active Learning: AI should assist rather than dictate actions. It should be a tool for empowerment rather than a source of dependency. Successful AI solutions should contribute to continuous learning and growth.
  • Expertise: What is the knowledge base of the user? If subject expertise is lacking, can outputs be verified for accuracy? If technical expertise is lacking, such as coding or use of various software, can AI even be used to create a solution. We should question whether our lack of knowledge in the subject area or tools we use hinders implementing a solution.

Use cases will cover the limits of AI's generative abilities, text parsing, creating complex formulas and VBA/macro scripts in Excel, generating code in JavaScript, and hardcoding a program in the AutoHotKey (AHK) language without the help of AI to reduce labor.

Adam Lisbon manages the  at the University Libraries. He teaches research skills in literature, history, language, and across many other disciplines as they relate to Japanese and Korean Studies. If you have students whose research skills you want to improve, you can email him to set up a session for your class. If you need an in depth discussion on supporting your research of Japan, Korea, or other matters, you can . Adam also specializes in managing multilingual sources of information with the .

The University Libraries’ acquisition of books, journals, and a variety of media and electronic sources in Japanese and Korean are coordinated by Adam. Your suggestions for additional materials for our vernacular or English language collections are welcome any time. Adam earned his B.A. in Japanese studies at the University At Albany. After graduating, he participated in the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program (JET) for three years. He then returned to his alma mater pursuing his masters in Library and Information Science. His research areas include how scholarship is conducted in multilingual contexts as well as the intersection between information literacy and Japanese language education.