The promise and perils of smart (city) bots as educational tools

Author

Thomas MENKHOFF, Singapore Management UniversityFollow
Siew Ning KAN, Singapore Management UniversityFollow
Shaohui FOONG, Singapore University of Technology and Design

Publication Type

Conference Paper

Version

acceptedVersion

Publication Date

10-2024

Abstract

Written from an educator’s perspective, the paper aims to examine the increasing use of chatbot technology capable of answering user queries in various fields such as commerce, public service delivery, urban areas, higher education etc. by simulating human conversation through text messages or voice commands. We analyse why smart bots have become popular technologies in the context smart cities; shed light on different types of bots (chatbots, large language models such as ChatGPT, flying bots); and explain how we use bots as teaching tool in an introductory AI for business course. A key argument putting forward is that smart bots are useful pedagogical tools to educate students about the promise and perils of the technology-driven smart city agenda, a proposition which will be tested in a forthcoming mixed-methods study in a higher educational institution in Singapore. However, as educators we must also create awareness amongst users such as urbanites or students with regards to the perils of smart bots (with their ‘futuristic predictions’) such as job destruction, top down governance, improper data outputs, negative public opinion on chatbots, Big Tech’s power, dataveillance or cyberattacks.

Keywords

Chatbots, ChatGPT, smart city, citizen engagement, sustainability, Singapore

Discipline

Artificial Intelligence and Robotics | Business | Higher Education | Technology and Innovation

Research Areas

Organisational Behaviour and Human Resources

Publication

Eurasia Business and Economics Society Conference, 49th EBES Conference, Athens, October 16-18

First Page

1

Last Page

10

Publisher

EBES

Embargo Period

2-17-2025

Citation

MENKHOFF, Thomas; KAN, Siew Ning; and FOONG, Shaohui. The promise and perils of smart (city) bots as educational tools. (2024). Eurasia Business and Economics Society Conference, 49th EBES Conference, Athens, October 16-18. 1-10.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/lkcsb_research/7676

Copyright Owner and License

Authors

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.