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It is barely a secret that I am going for 100 posts this year. I am currently at 94, which by the way is already a record for this blog. With this post I will be at 95, I have three topics in mind not counting this one, and, with a week left in 2022, this should be quite doable.
By wonderful chance, there was a Facebook ad on the very topic I am addressing in this blog. It was for AI Create. Their ad said “See how AI can write a blog post in minutes.” Cleary, I could produce a blog post of 500 or so words in a fraction of the time it now takes.
On Friday, December 16, I was driving into North Park for the last day of the semester. Per usual, I was listening to NPR’s Morning Edition as usual. They had a segment on ChatGPT which is a Microsoft funded venture that, like AI Create, is a writing and research assistant. Here is a link for the NPR segment: Has AI reached the point where a software program can do better work than you? Apparently, it has an application that students are already using to write essays. This semester I have detected a disproportionate number of students writing above what I thought their capabilities were. I wondered why, and settled on the glass half-full conclusion, that they were all trying harder. After hearing the NPR segment, I backed off that conclusion a bit thinking that maybe some of our students are already using this innovative application.
So, when I got to my desk, I went to the ChatGPT website signed up, and began playing with it. The first thing I did was ask it to “prepare an essay on the Toyota Production System.” This was a topic one of my classes was preparing an essay on. In 30 seconds, ChatGPT gave the following (329 words):
The Toyota Production System (TPS) is a manufacturing approach developed by the Toyota Motor Corporation to increase efficiency and eliminate waste within the production process. The TPS is also known as "lean manufacturing" or "just-in-time (JIT) production," and has been widely adopted by companies around the globe due to its ability to improve quality, reduce costs, and increase responsiveness to customer demand.
At the heart of the TPS is the concept of continuous improvement, or "kaizen," which encourages all employees to identify and eliminate waste in their work processes. Waste, or "muda," can take many forms, including unnecessary steps, defects, overproduction, excess inventory, and unnecessary motion. By eliminating waste, the TPS aims to create a more efficient and streamlined production process.
One key aspect of the TPS is the use of small batch sizes and frequent deliveries, known as JIT production. This approach helps to reduce inventory costs and increase flexibility, as it allows for production to be adjusted quickly in response to changes in customer demand.
Another important aspect of the TPS is the use of standardized work processes and visual management techniques. Standardized work processes help to ensure that all tasks are completed consistently and efficiently, while visual management techniques, such as the use of visual cues and signals, make it easier for workers to identify problems and opportunities for improvement.
In addition, the TPS emphasizes the importance of teamwork and communication in the production process. This includes the use of "huddles," or brief daily meetings, to discuss progress and identify problems, as well as the use of "gemba," or "actual place," in which employees go to observe and understand the work being done.
Overall, the Toyota Production System has proven to be an effective approach to manufacturing, with many companies around the world adopting its principles in order to improve efficiency and reduce waste. Its focus on continuous improvement, JIT production, standardized work processes, visual management, and teamwork has made it a model for manufacturing excellence.
This was not bad at all. I like my students to give me essays in the 500-700 word range. So, I asked next asked ChatGPT to “prepare a 637 word essay on the Toyota Production System.” This time it came back with the following (439 words).
The Toyota Production System (TPS) is a manufacturing approach developed by the Toyota Motor Corporation that has been widely adopted by companies around the world. It is based on the principles of continuous improvement, or "kaizen," and the elimination of waste, or "muda." The TPS aims to create a more efficient and streamlined production process by identifying and eliminating waste in all forms, including unnecessary steps, defects, overproduction, excess inventory, and unnecessary motion.
One key aspect of the TPS is the use of small batch sizes and frequent deliveries, known as just-in-time (JIT) production. This approach helps to reduce inventory costs and increase flexibility, as it allows for production to be adjusted quickly in response to changes in customer demand. JIT production also helps to reduce the risk of defects and excess inventory, as it ensures that only the necessary materials and components are produced and delivered at the right time.
Another important aspect of the TPS is the use of standardized work processes and visual management techniques. Standardized work processes help to ensure that all tasks are completed consistently and efficiently, while visual management techniques, such as the use of visual cues and signals, make it easier for workers to identify problems and opportunities for improvement. By standardizing work processes and using visual management techniques, the TPS helps to minimize variability and improve quality in the production process.
In addition to these core principles, the TPS also emphasizes the importance of teamwork and communication in the production process. This includes the use of "huddles," or brief daily meetings, to discuss progress and identify problems, as well as the use of "gemba," or "actual place," in which employees go to observe and understand the work being done. By promoting teamwork and effective communication, the TPS helps to create a more collaborative and responsive production environment.
The TPS has been successful in helping Toyota and other companies to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and improve quality. It has also been credited with helping to create a culture of continuous improvement and innovation within Toyota and other companies that have adopted its principles. However, it is important to note that the TPS is not a one-size-fits-all solution, and it requires careful implementation and ongoing management to be effective.
In summary, the Toyota Production System is a comprehensive approach to manufacturing that aims to increase efficiency, reduce waste, and improve quality through the principles of continuous improvement, JIT production, standardized work processes, visual management, and teamwork. Its success has made it a model for manufacturing excellence, and it has been widely adopted by companies around the world seeking to improve their production processes.
This was equally as good. As it was AI driven, it was different from the first and thus making it tough for a plagiarism detection software like Turnitin to detect anything. I was a bit disappointed that it didn’t give me the word count I asked for. Then, I thought if I outlined the paper into four or five bullet points and asked ChatGPT to provide an essay on each subtopic, I could easily cobble together a 700-2,000 word essay.
As it is a college paper, I would naturally have to include references. I asked ChatGPT to “provide 6 references for the Toyota Production System in APA format.” Voila, it gave me the following classic references on the topic:
1. Liker, J. K., & Meier, D. (2006). The Toyota Way: 14 management principles from the world's greatest manufacturer. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
2. Ohno, T. (1988). Toyota production system: Beyond large-scale production. Cambridge, MA: Productivity Press.
3. Womack, J. P., Jones, D. T., & Roos, D. (1990). The machine that changed the world: The story of lean production. New York, NY: Harper Perennial.
4. Rother, M., & Shook, J. (2003). Learning to see: Value stream mapping to create value and eliminate muda. Cambridge, MA: Lean Enterprise Institute.
5. Imai, M. (1997). Gemba kaizen: A commonsense, low-cost approach to management. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
6. Shingo, S. (1987). A study of the Toyota production system: From an industrial engineering viewpoint. Cambridge, MA: Productivity Press.
I then asked it to give to “provide 7 URL references for the Toyota Production System in APA format”
1. Toyota Global. (n.d.). Toyota Production System. Retrieved from https://www.toyota-global.com/company/toyota_traditions/quality/toyota_production_system/
2. Lean Enterprise Institute. (n.d.). Toyota Production System. Retrieved from https://www.lean.org/lp/toyota-production-system/
3. Toyota Motor Corporation. (n.d.). Toyota Production System. Retrieved from https://www.toyota-global.com/sustainability/environmental_technology/toyota_production_system/
4. Lean Manufacturing Tools. (n.d.). Toyota Production System (TPS). Retrieved from https://www.leanmanufacturingtools.org/toyota-production-system/
5. Management Study Guide. (2021). Toyota Production System (TPS). Retrieved from https://www.managementstudyguide.com/toyota-production-system.htm
6. Wikipedia. (2022). Toyota Production System. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Production_System
7. ASQ. (2018). Toyota Production System (TPS). Retrieved from https://asq.org/quality-resources/toyota-production-system
I could get quotes from a few of these references and add them to the longer essay and easily get to my 637-word objective.
This is most cool and a bit scary. This could be a negative game changer or a positive one, depending on how we react to it in our course design. It is not unlike the dawn of cheap scientific calculators and impact they had on science and math classes. “Do we allow calculators to be used in math exams?” was a huge question academia grappled with until we realized they were a tool which math courses needed to incorporate. The same could be sad about Excel and other software applications. It is just coming to the writing side of academics now.
I really liked the ability for ChatGPT to assemble a reference list on the Toyota Production System. I will definitely use it more for this.
Lastly, I found an article, ChatGPT and the rise of AI writers: how should higher education respond? I asked ChatGPT to summarize the article as this was something that was touted as a feature. It impressively responded:
It is not possible for me to summarize a specific article without having access to it. However, I can provide some general information about how higher education institutions may respond to the development of AI writing tools such as GPT and RISE.
One potential response could be to incorporate the use of these tools into the curriculum, perhaps as a way to teach students about the capabilities and limitations of AI and how it can be used in writing and other areas. Higher education institutions may also consider the ethical implications of using AI writing tools and how they may impact the role of human writers.
Another response could be to study the effectiveness of these tools and how they compare to traditional writing methods. This could involve conducting research on the quality and accuracy of writing produced by AI tools, as well as the impact on student learning and engagement.
Higher education institutions may also consider the potential for these tools to democratize access to education, particularly for students who may face barriers to traditional writing instruction. However, it will be important to carefully consider the potential consequences and ensure that the use of AI writing tools does not lead to the displacement of human writers or educators.
Overall, higher education institutions will need to approach the development of AI writing tools with caution and carefully consider their potential impact on students, educators, and the broader field of writing and education.
Well, I will have to figure out how to use this tool in a positive way in my courses. I will also need to figure out I should or should not use it to make me a more prolific blogger. The future, in these regards, might be kind of awesome.
Note: This word count of this piece is 1,968 of which I actually wrote 759 of them.
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