discursive essay on ai

Home — Essay Samples — Information Science and Technology — Modern Technology — Artificial Intelligence

Essays on Artificial Intelligence

Writing an essay on artificial intelligence is not just an academic exercise; it's a chance to explore the cutting-edge innovations and the profound impact AI has on our lives. For students looking to delve deeper into this topic, utilizing the best AI tools for students can provide a significant edge in crafting a well-researched and analytical essay. 🚀 So, get ready to unlock the potential of AI with your words!

Artificial Intelligence Essay Topics for "Artificial Intelligence" 📝

Choosing the right topic is key to writing a compelling essay. Here's how to pick the perfect one:

Artificial Intelligence Argumentative Essay 🤨

Argumentative AI essays require you to take a stance on AI-related issues. Here are ten thought-provoking topics:

• 1. The ethical implications of AI in autonomous weaponry.
• 2. Should AI be granted legal personhood and rights?
• 3. Analyze the impact of AI on the job market and employment prospects.
• 4. The role of AI in addressing climate change and environmental challenges.
• 5. Discuss the risks and benefits of AI in healthcare and medical diagnostics.
• 6. AI's impact on privacy and surveillance in modern society.
• 7. Evaluate the use of AI in education and personalized learning.
• 8. The role of AI in improving cybersecurity and data protection.
• 9. Discuss the potential biases and discrimination in AI algorithms.
• 10. AI and its implications for creativity and the arts.
• 11. The Ethical Implications of Programming Bias into Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence Cause and Effect Essay 🤯

Dive into cause and effect relationships in the AI realm with these topics:

• 1. Explore how AI-powered virtual assistants have changed communication habits.
• 2. Analyze the effects of AI-driven predictive policing on crime rates.
• 3. Discuss how AI-driven healthcare advancements have extended human lifespans.
• 4. The consequences of AI-powered autonomous vehicles on transportation and traffic safety.
• 5. Investigate the impact of AI algorithms on social media echo chambers and polarization.
• 6. The influence of AI-driven personalized marketing on consumer behavior.
• 7. Explore how AI has revolutionized the entertainment industry and storytelling.
• 8. Analyze the cause and effect of AI's role in financial markets and investment strategies.
• 9. Discuss the effects of AI on reducing energy consumption and sustainable living.
• 10. The consequences of AI in aiding scientific research and discovery.

Artificial Intelligence Opinion Essay 😌

Express your personal views and interpretations on AI through these essay topics:

• 1. Share your opinion on the potential dangers of superintelligent AI.
• 2. Discuss your perspective on AI's role in enhancing human capabilities.
• 3. Express your thoughts on the future of work in an AI-dominated world.
• 4. Debate the significance of AI in addressing global challenges like pandemics.
• 5. Share your views on the ethical responsibilities of AI developers and researchers.
• 6. Discuss the impact of AI on human creativity and innovation.
• 7. Express your opinion on AI's influence on education and personalized learning.
• 8. Debate the ethics of AI in decision-making, such as self-driving car dilemmas.
• 9. Share your perspective on AI's potential to bridge the digital divide and promote equity.
• 10. Discuss your favorite AI-related invention or innovation and its implications.

Artificial Intelligence Informative Essay 🧐

Inform and educate your readers with these informative AI essay topics:

• 1. Explore the history and evolution of artificial intelligence.
• 2. Provide an in-depth analysis of popular AI technologies like deep learning and neural networks.
• 3. Investigate the significance of AI in autonomous robotics and space exploration.
• 4. Analyze the role of AI in natural language processing and language translation.
• 5. Examine the applications of AI in climate modeling and environmental conservation.
• 6. Explore the cultural and societal impacts of AI in science fiction literature and films.
• 7. Provide insights into the ethics of AI in medical decision-making and diagnosis.
• 8. Analyze the potential for AI in disaster response and emergency management.
• 9. Discuss the role of AI in enhancing cybersecurity and threat detection.
• 10. Examine the future trends and possibilities of AI in various industries.
• 11. Ethical Implications of AI in Healthcare: Patient Privacy
• 12. Impact of AI on Government Services: Study of Role in UPSC Exam Process

Artificial Intelligence Essay Example 📄

Artificial intelligence thesis statement examples 📜.

Here are five examples of strong thesis statements for your AI essay:

• 1. "The rapid advancements in artificial intelligence present both unprecedented opportunities and ethical dilemmas, as we navigate the journey toward an AI-driven future."
• 2. "In analyzing the impact of AI on healthcare, we unveil a transformative force that promises to revolutionize medical diagnosis and treatment, but also raises concerns about data privacy and security."
• 3. "The development of superintelligent AI systems demands careful consideration of ethical frameworks to ensure their responsible and beneficial integration into society."
• 4. "Artificial intelligence is not a replacement for human creativity but a powerful tool that amplifies our capabilities, ushering in an era of unprecedented innovation and discovery."
• 5. "AI-driven autonomous vehicles represent a technological leap that holds the potential to reshape transportation, reduce accidents, and increase accessibility, but also raises questions about liability and safety."

Artificial Intelligence Essay Introduction Examples 🚀

Here are three captivating introduction paragraphs to begin your essay:

• 1. "In a world driven by data and algorithms, artificial intelligence has emerged as both a beacon of innovation and a source of profound ethical contemplation. As we embark on this essay journey into the realm of AI, we peel back the layers of silicon and software to explore the implications, promises, and challenges of our AI-driven future."
• 2. "Imagine a world where machines not only assist us but also think, learn, and adapt. The rise of artificial intelligence has ignited a conversation that transcends technology—it delves into the very essence of human potential and the responsibilities we bear as creators. Join us as we navigate the AI landscape, one algorithm at a time."
• 3. "In an era marked by digital transformations and the ubiquity of smart devices, artificial intelligence stands as the sentinel of change. As we step into the world of AI analysis, we are confronted with a paradox: the immense power of machines and the ethical dilemmas they pose. Together, let's dissect the AI phenomenon, from its inception to its potential to shape the destiny of humanity."

Artificial Intelligence Conclusion Examples 🌟

Conclude your essay with impact using these examples:

• 1. "As we draw the curtains on this AI exploration, we stand at the intersection of innovation and ethics. Artificial intelligence, with all its wonders and complexities, challenges us to not only harness its power for progress but also to ensure its responsible and ethical use. The journey continues, and the conversation evolves as we navigate the evolving landscape of AI."
• 2. "In the closing frame of our AI analysis, we reflect on the ever-expanding possibilities and responsibilities that AI brings to our doorstep. The pages of this essay mark a beginning—a call to action. Together, we have explored the AI landscape, and the future is now in our hands, waiting for our choices to shape it."
• 3. "As the AI narrative reaches its conclusion, we find ourselves at the crossroads of human ingenuity and artificial intelligence. The journey has been both enlightening and thought-provoking, reminding us that the future of AI is a collaborative endeavor, guided by ethics, curiosity, and a shared vision of a better world."

Future of Cyberbullying: Innovating Safety Amidst Technology

Frederick douglass narrative, made-to-order essay as fast as you need it.

Each essay is customized to cater to your unique preferences

+ experts online

Artificial Intelligence in The Matrix

Advantages and problems of artificial intelligence, artificial intelligence: good and bad effects for humanity, how robots can take over humanity, let us write you an essay from scratch.

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence as the next digital frontier, the possibility of humanity to succumb to artificial intelligence, the ethical issues of artificial intelligence, get a personalized essay in under 3 hours.

Expert-written essays crafted with your exact needs in mind

Ethical Issues in Using Ai Technology Today

Artificial intelligence: pros and cons, artificial intelligence: applications, advantages and disanvantages, the possibility of machines to be able to think and feel, artificial intelligence: what really makes us human, how artificial intelligence is transforming the world, risks and benefits of ai in the future, the possibility of artificial intelligence to replace teachers, artificial intelligence, machine learning and deep learning, the ethical challenges of artificial intelligence, will artificial intelligence have a progressive or retrogressive impact on our society, artificial intelligence in medicine, impact of technology: how artificial intelligence will change the future, artificial intelligence in home automation, artificial intelligence and the future of human rights, artificial intelligence (ai) and its impact on our life, impact of artificial intelligence on hr jobs, the ability of artificial intelligence to make society more sustainable, deep learning for artificial intelligence, the role of artificial intelligence in future technology.

Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the intellectual capabilities exhibited by machines, contrasting with the innate intelligence observed in living beings, such as animals and humans.

The inception of artificial intelligence research as an academic field can be traced back to its establishment in 1956. It was during the renowned Dartmouth conference of the same year that artificial intelligence acquired its distinctive name, definitive purpose, initial accomplishments, and notable pioneers, thereby earning its reputation as the birthplace of AI. The esteemed figures of Marvin Minsky and John McCarthy are widely recognized as the founding fathers of this discipline.

Early pioneers such as John McCarthy, Marvin Minsky, and Allen Newell played instrumental roles in shaping the foundations of AI research. In the following years after its original inception, AI witnessed both periods of optimism and periods of skepticism, as researchers explored different approaches and techniques. Notable breakthroughs include the development of expert systems in the 1970s, which aimed to replicate human knowledge and reasoning, and the emergence of machine learning algorithms in the 1980s and 1990s. The turn of the 21st century witnessed significant advancements in AI, with the rise of big data, powerful computing technologies, and deep learning algorithms. This led to remarkable achievements in areas such as natural language processing, computer vision, and autonomous systems.

There are four types of artificial intelligence: reactive machines, limited memory, theory of mind and self-awareness.

Healthcare: AI assists in medical diagnosis, drug discovery, personalized treatment plans, and analyzing medical images. Finance: AI is used for automated trading, fraud detection, risk assessment, and customer service through chatbots. Transportation: AI powers autonomous vehicles, traffic optimization, logistics, and supply chain management. Entertainment: AI contributes to recommendation systems, AI-generated music and art, virtual reality experiences, and content creation. Cybersecurity: AI helps in detecting and preventing cyber threats and enhancing network security. Agriculture: AI optimizes farming practices, crop management, and precision agriculture. Education: AI enables personalized learning, adaptive assessments, and intelligent tutoring systems. Natural Language Processing: AI facilitates language translation, voice assistants, chatbots, and sentiment analysis. Robotics: AI powers robots in various applications, such as manufacturing, healthcare, and exploration. Environmental Conservation: AI aids in environmental monitoring, wildlife protection, and climate modeling.

John McCarthy: Coined the term "artificial intelligence" and organized the Dartmouth Conference in 1956, which is considered the birth of AI as an academic discipline. Marvin Minsky: A cognitive scientist and AI pioneer, Minsky co-founded the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's AI Laboratory and made notable contributions to robotics and cognitive psychology. Geoffrey Hinton: Renowned for his work on neural networks and deep learning, Hinton's research has greatly advanced the field of AI and revolutionized areas such as image and speech recognition. Andrew Ng: An influential figure in the field of AI, Ng co-founded Google Brain, led the development of the deep learning framework TensorFlow, and has made significant contributions to machine learning algorithms. Fei-Fei Li: A prominent researcher in computer vision and AI, Li has made groundbreaking contributions to image recognition and has been a strong advocate for responsible and ethical AI development.. Demis Hassabis: Co-founder of DeepMind, a leading AI research company, Hassabis has made notable contributions to areas such as deep reinforcement learning and has led the development of groundbreaking AI systems. Elon Musk: Although primarily known for his role in space exploration and electric vehicles, Musk has also made notable contributions to AI through his involvement in companies like OpenAI and Neuralink, advocating for AI safety and ethics.

1. According to a report by IDC, global spending on AI systems is expected to reach $98.4 billion in 2023, indicating a significant increase from the $37.5 billion spent in 2019. 2. The job market for AI professionals is thriving. LinkedIn's 2021 Emerging Jobs Report listed AI specialist as one of the top emerging jobs, with a 74% annual growth rate over the past four years. 3. AI-powered chatbots are revolutionizing customer service. A study by Oracle found that 80% of businesses plan to use chatbots by 2022. Furthermore, 58% of consumers have already interacted with chatbots for customer support, indicating the growing acceptance and adoption of AI in enhancing customer experiences. 4. McKinsey Global Institute estimates that by 2030, automation and AI technologies could contribute to a global economic impact of $13 trillion. 5. The healthcare industry is leveraging AI for improved patient care. A study published in the journal Nature Medicine reported that an AI model was able to detect breast cancer with an accuracy of 94.5%, outperforming human radiologists.

The topic of artificial intelligence (AI) holds immense importance in today's world, making it an intriguing subject to explore in an essay. AI has revolutionized multiple facets of human life, ranging from technology and business to healthcare and transportation. Understanding its significance is crucial for comprehending the potential and impact of this rapidly evolving field. Firstly, AI has the power to reshape industries and transform economies. It enables automation, streamlines processes, and enhances efficiency, leading to increased productivity and economic growth. Moreover, AI advancements have the potential to address complex societal challenges, such as healthcare accessibility, environmental sustainability, and resource management. Secondly, AI raises ethical considerations and socio-economic implications. Discussions on privacy, bias, job displacement, and AI's role in decision-making become essential for navigating its responsible implementation. Examining the ethical dimensions of AI fosters critical thinking and encourages the development of guidelines and regulations to ensure its ethical use. Lastly, exploring AI allows us to envision the future possibilities and risks associated with this technology. It sparks discussions on the boundaries of machine intelligence, the potential for sentient AI, and the impact on human existence. By studying AI, we gain insights into technological progress, its limitations, and the responsibilities associated with harnessing its potential.

1. Russell, S. J., & Norvig, P. (2016). Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach (3rd ed.). Prentice Hall. 2. Goodfellow, I., Bengio, Y., & Courville, A. (2016). Deep Learning. MIT Press. 3. Kurzweil, R. (2005). The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology. Viking. 4. Bostrom, N. (2014). Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies. Oxford University Press. 5. Chollet, F. (2017). Deep Learning with Python. Manning Publications. 6. Domingos, P. (2018). The Master Algorithm: How the Quest for the Ultimate Learning Machine Will Remake Our World. Basic Books. 7. Ng, A. (2017). Machine Learning Yearning. deeplearning.ai. 8. Marcus, G. (2018). Rebooting AI: Building Artificial Intelligence We Can Trust. Vintage. 9. Winfield, A. (2018). Robotics: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press. 10. Shalev-Shwartz, S., & Ben-David, S. (2014). Understanding Machine Learning: From Theory to Algorithms. Cambridge University Press.

Relevant topics

• Computer Science
• Digital Era

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Bibliography

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

Argumentative Essay Example on Artificial Intelligence in MLA

Like we discussed in our previous blog, argumentative essays are complicated to write. In most cases, having a look at the examples of argumentative essays can help you construct ideas and write yours. In this blog, we present to you an example of an MLA argumentative essay on Artificial Intelligence as a solution more than a threat. When writing an argumentative essay, it is a chance to present your prowess ion sharing with the audience why both options are considerable. Also, just like in a persuasive essay you can persuade the readers to adopt your side of the argument. In this respect, either side of the arguments on argumentative essay topics is presented, including a counterargument. The conclusion should then make clear what is in the body of the essay.

Provided you have a great topic for your essay, enough and proper evidence to back your claims, and facts to refute the opponent's viewpoint, you can always write convincing arguments. A strong thesis is a must for an argumentative essay. So is the conclusion, which must stand out. Look at this top-grade argumentative essay example and learn the art.

Argumentative Essay Example: Artificial Intelligence: A Solution more than a Threat

The debate on the future of making in the age of computers remains to be a hotly contested debate in the public, professional, and scholarly spheres. Within the stem of the debate, there have been fears in the fast growing field of computing referred to as artificial intelligence.  Artificial intelligence or AI is a term that was originally coined in the 1950s by John McCarthy, and it simply means machine intelligence. It is the field of computer science that deals with the study of the systems that act or behave in a way that an observer sees them as intelligent and using human and animal intelligent behavior models in solving sophisticated problems (Kaplan 1). Even though portrayed as a threat on account of the loss of jobs, AI is a promising solution for medical applications with efficiency and high precision compared to humans and in disaster response.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has proven to be a solution to natural disasters abound to affect different places globally. The success of any humanitarian intervention depends on quality information, which is in the heart AI systems. For example, the Artificial Intelligence Disaster Response (AIDR) has been applied in different catastrophes in enabling the coordination between machines and human intelligence in coordination response operations (Imran et al. 159). During such events, AIDR allows for the coordination of drones, sensors, and robots to acquire, synthesize and produce accurate information based on the landscapes, thus making rescue less-time consuming and easier (Imran et al. 159-160). It has been used in the Nepal earthquake in the mobilization of volunteers as well as in the Chile earthquake in evacuation processes, in 2015 (EKU). Therefore, artificial intelligence offers high precision and accuracy in solving tasks that are otherwise complicated and time-consuming to humans.

Apart from disaster response, Artificial Intelligence also plays a critical role in the field of medicine including research, training, and diagnosis of diseases. In fact, Medical Artificial Intelligence deals with the construction of AI systems and programs that can make diagnosis and therapy recommendations easier (Moein xi). The medical field uses AI techniques such as Expert systems and Knowledge-based systems. These systems offer the clinicians and other medical professionals the ability to do data mining that is used in interpreting complex diagnostic tests. Such tests and results are accurate since the AI systems integrate information from various sources to offer patient-specific therapy and treatment recommendations (Moein 2). AI-supported medical diagnosis is correct and provides information for both the patients and the experts for effective decision making. As such, it is evident that artificial intelligence has not only revolutionized the medical field but promises its sustainability.

Despite being a savior to humankind in the field of medicine and natural disaster response, AI presents the existential threat of loss of jobs. Research predicts that artificial intelligence already has and poses an existential threat to the labor market. The emergence of intelligent algorithms that control robots has led to the loss of jobs that are otherwise tiring and monotonous to humans (Kaplan 113). For example, artificial intelligence controls the robots that are used in the design and manufacture of vehicles. In this case, the people formerly employed in the industry have lost jobs. In a study by researchers at Oxford University, it emerged that the recent emergence of machine learning and robotics will significantly affect the U.S. labor market, with 47% of the jobs being at risk of automation (Kaplan 118). Even so, not all jobs in entirety will be affected. Rather, even the existence of AI in the workplace would require the support of experts, which is also another frontier for job creation. In sum, even though AI poses a threat to the labor market, it creates an avenue for employment as well.

In conclusion, amidst the fear that artificial intelligence is a threat, either now or in the future, it is clear that it has substantial and critical benefits for humans. Using the systems that mimic human and animal intelligence is the next frontier in solving problems within society. In fact, in its definition, AI seeks to create solutions to complex problems. In this respect, its application in medicine could help in creating a breakthrough in finding the cure for chronic diseases such as cancer and HIV that are affecting masses.  Furthermore, as man increases activity on the earth's surface nature is poised to fight back through natural disasters. In this case, AI comes handy as a partner to help humans prevent the aftermath of disasters. The only threat posed by AI is the loss of jobs, which again is predictable and has been a progressive issue. Even in doing so, AI presents an opportunity for job creation. Therefore, AI has more benefits compared to the threats and stands as a solution other than a threat.

Works Cited

EKU. "Using Artificial Intelligence for Emergency Management | EKU Online."  Safetymanagement.eku.edu . N.p., 2017. Web. 4 Sept. 2017.

Imran, Muhammad et al. "AIDR."  Proceedings of the 23rd International Conference on World Wide Web - WWW '14 Companion  (2014): 159-162. Web. 4 Sept. 2017.

Kaplan, Jerry.  Artificial Intelligence: What Everyone Needs To Know ? New York, NY, United States of America: Oxford University Press, 2016. Print.

Moein, Sara.  Medical Diagnosis Using Artificial Neural Networks . Hershey, PA: Medical Information Science Reference, 2014. Print.

Parting Shot!

When writing a research paper with works cited page or an essay for that matter, it is always MLA formatting. If it is an essay that requires you to have endnotes and footnotes then you should write it in Chicago style. Most of the argumentative essays we have helped students write are always in APA or MLA.

Related Article:

• Best topics for argumentative essays.
• Topics and Ideas for Persuasive essays

On rare occasions, we also get requests for argumentative essays in Vancouver, Oxford, and Turabian. The good news is that if you still cannot wrap your head around writing an excellent argumentative essay, we can always help. You can choose to buy argumentative essays from Gradecrest. Be assured of quality, well-researched, and plagiarism-free argumentative essays.

Gradecrest is a professional writing service that provides original model papers. We offer personalized services along with research materials for assistance purposes only. All the materials from our website should be used with proper references. See our Terms of Use Page for proper details.

The AI Anthology: 20 Essays You Should Read About Our Future With AI

Microsoft's Chief Scientific Officer, Eric Horvitz, has spearheaded an initiative aimed at stimulating an enriching and multidimensional conversation on the future of AI. Dubbed " AI Anthology ," the project features 20 op-ed essays from an eclectic mix of scholars and professionals providing their diverse perspectives on the transformative potential of AI.

With the backdrop of impressive leaps in AI capabilities, notably OpenAI's GPT-4, the anthology is a collaborative effort aimed at elucidating the profound ways AI can benefit humanity while exploring potential challenges. While many fear the unknowns of AI advancement, the anthology is grounded in an optimistic view of the future of AI, aiming to catalyze thought-provoking dialogue and collaborative exploration.

The anthology is a remarkable testament to the multi-faceted nature of AI implications, ranging from the arts to education, science, medicine, and the economy. Horvitz's own journey with AI began with an early glimpse into the transformative capabilities of GPT-4. His awe-inspiring experience with the AI highlighted its potential to redefine disciplinary boundaries and ignite novel integrations of traditionally disparate concepts and methodologies. Yet, it also underscored the need for careful, thoughtful exploration of potential disruptions and adverse consequences.

Four essays will be published to the AI Anthology each week, with the complete collection available on June 26, 2023. Here are the first four essays:

• A Thinking Evolution by Alec Gallimore, a rocket scientist and Dean of Engineering at the University of Michigan, gets curious about the odyssey of AI.
• Eradicating Inequality by Gillian Hadfield, Professor of Law and Economics at the University of Toronto, champions legal access for all.
• Empowering Creation by Ada Palmer, Professor of History at University of Chicago, explores the possibilities of the information revolution.
• Accessible Healthcare by Robert Wachter, Chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, examines how AI could reshape clinical care.

The contributors to the anthology represent a broad spectrum of experts. Each provides a unique perspective on the potentials and challenges of AI, covering a range of sectors, from education and healthcare to the creative arts. They were all granted early confidential access to GPT-4 and were encouraged to reflect upon two crucial questions: How might this technology and its successors contribute to human flourishing? And, how might society best guide the technology to achieve maximal benefits for humanity? These two questions, designed to explore the potential positive impact of AI, are central to the AI Anthology .

The resulting collection of essays are well worth the read! It offers an optimistic lens through which to view the future of AI and serves as a call to action for us all to join the conversation and contribute to the development of AI that promotes human flourishing.

Let’s stay in touch. Get the latest AI news from Maginative in your inbox.

106 Artificial Intelligence Essay Topics & Samples

In a research paper or any other assignment about AI, there are many topics and questions to consider. To help you out, our experts have provided a list of 76 titles , along with artificial intelligence essay examples, for your consideration.

💾 Top 10 Artificial Intelligence Essay Topics

🏆 best essay topics on artificial intelligence, 🖱️ interesting artificial intelligence topics for essays, 🖥️ good ai essay titles, ❓ artificial intelligence research questions.

• AI and Human Intelligence.
• Computer Vision.
• Future of AI Technology.
• Machine Learning.
• AI in Daily Life.
• Impact of Deep Learning.
• Natural Language Processing.
• Threats in Robotics.
• Reinforcement Learning.
• Ethics of Artificial Intelligence.
• The Problem of Artificial Intelligence The introduction of new approaches to work and rest triggered the reconsideration of traditional values and promoted the growth of a certain style of life characterized by the mass use of innovations and their integration […]
• Artificial Intelligence: The Helper or the Threat? To conclude, artificial intelligence development is a problem that leaves nobody indifferent as it is closely associated with the future of the humanity.
• Artificial Intelligence: Positive or Negative Innovation? He argues that while humans will still be in charge of a few aspects of life in the near future, their control will be reduced due to the development of artificial intelligence.
• Artificial Intelligence and Humans Co-Existence Some strategies to address these challenges exist; however, the strict maintenance of key areas under human control is the only valid solution to ensure people’s safety.
• Artificial Intelligence and Related Social Threats It may be expressed in a variety of ways, from peaceful attempts to attract attention to the issue to violent and criminal activities.
• Artificial Intelligence and People-Focused Cities The aim of this research is to examine the relationship between the application of effective AI technologies to enhance urban planning approaches and the development of modern smart and people focused cities.
• Autonomous Controller Robotics: The Future of Robots The middle level is the Coordination level which interfaces the actions of the top and lower level s in the architecture.
• Application of Artificial Intelligence in Business The connection of AI and the business strategy of an organization is displayed through the ability to use its algorithm for achieving competitive advantage and maintaining it.
• Artificial Intelligence Advantages and Disadvantages In the early years of the field, AI scientists sort to fully duplicate the human capacities of thought and language on the digital computer.
• Artificial Intelligence in the Documentary “Transcendent Man” The artificial intelligence is becoming a threat to the existence of humanity since these machines are slowly but steadily replacing the roles of mankind in all spheres of life.
• Artificial Intelligence: Pros and Cons Artificial intelligence, or robots, one of the most scandalous and brilliant inventions of the XX century, causing people’s concern for the world safety, has become one of the leading branches of the modern science, which […]
• Artificial Intelligence Managing Human Life Although the above examples explain how humans can use AI to perform a wide range of tasks, it is necessary for stakeholders to control and manage the replication of human intelligence.
• What Progress Has Been Made With Artificial Intelligence? According to Dunjko and Briegel, AI contains a variety of fields and concepts, including the necessity to understand human capacities, abstract all the aspects of work, and realize similar aptitudes in machines.
• Artificial Intelligence: A Systems Approach That is to say, limitations on innovations should be applied to the degree to which robots and machine intelligence can be autonomous.
• Turing Test: Real and Artificial Intelligence The answers provided by the computer is consistent with that of human and the assessor can hardly guess whether the answer is from the machine or human.
• Saudi Arabia Information Technology: Artificial Intelligence The systems could therefore not fulfill the expectations of people who first thought that they would relieve managers and professionals of the need to make certain types of decisions.
• Artificial Intelligence and Video Games Development Therefore, in contrast to settings that have been designed for agents only, StarCraft and Blizzard can offer DeepMind an enormous amount of data gathered from playing time which teaches the AI to perform a set […]
• Artificial Intelligence System for Smart Energy Consumption The proposed energy consumption saver is an innovative technology that aims to increase the efficiency of energy consumption in residential buildings, production and commercial facilities, and other types of structures.
• Artificial Intelligence Reducing Costs in Hospitality Industry One of the factors that contribute to increased costs in the hospitality industry is the inability of management to cope with changing consumer demands.
• Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare Delivery and Control Side Effects This report presents the status of AI in healthcare delivery and the motivations of deploying the technology in human services, information types analysed by AI frameworks, components that empower clinical outcomes and disease types.
• Artificial Intelligence for Diabetes: Project Experiences At the end of this reflective practice report, I plan to recognize my strengths and weaknesses in terms of team-working on the project about AI in diabetic retinopathy detection and want to determine my future […]
• Artificial Intelligence Company’s Economic Indicators On the other hand, it is vital to mention that if an artificial intelligence company has come of age and it is generally at the level of a large corporation, it can swiftly maneuver the […]
• Artificial Intelligence and Future of Sales It is assumed that one of the major factors that currently affect and will be affecting sales in the future is the artificial intelligence.
• Apple’s Company Announcement on Artificial Intelligence This development in Apple’s software is a reflection of the social construction of technology theory based on how the needs of the user impact how technological development is oriented.
• Artificial Intelligence Threat to Human Activities Despite the fictional and speculative nature of the majority of implications connected to the supposed threat that the artificial intelligence poses to mankind and the resulting low credibility ascribed to all such suggestions, at least […]
• Artificial Intelligence and the Associated Threats Artificial Intelligence, commonly referred to as AI refers to a branch of computer science that deals with the establishment of computer software and programs aimed at the change of the way many people carry out […]
• Non Experts: Artificial Intelligence Regardless of speed and the complexity of mathematical problems that they can solve, all that they do is to accept some input and generate desired output. This system is akin to that found in a […]
• Exploring the Impact of Artificial Intelligence: Prediction versus Judgment
• Maintaining Project Networks in Automated Artificial Intelligence Planning
• The Effects Artificial Intelligence Has Had On Society And On Business
• What Role Will Artificial Intelligence Actually Play in Human Affairs in the Next Few Decades?
• How Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Can Impact Market Design
• The Use of Artificial Intelligence in Today’s Technological Devices
• The Correlation of Artificial Intelligence and the Invention of Modern Day Computers and Programming Languages
• How Artificial Intelligence Will Affect Social Media Monitoring
• Artificial Intelligence and Neural Network: The Future of Computing and Computer Programming
• The Foundations and History of Artificial Intelligence
• Comment on Prediction, Judgment, and Complexity: A Theory of Decision Making and Artificial Intelligence
• Artificial Intelligence And Law: A Review Of The Role Of Correctness In The General Data Protection Regulation Framework
• Artificial Intelligence: Compared To The Human Mind’s Capacity For Reasoning And Learning
• A Comparison Between Two Predictive Models of Artificial Intelligence
• Artificial Intelligence as a Positive and Negative Factor in Global Risk
• Search Applications, Java, and Complexity of Symbolic Artificial Intelligence
• Integrating Ethical Values and Economic Value to Steer Progress in Artificial Intelligence
• Computational Modeling of an Economy Using Elements of Artificial Intelligence
• The growth of Artificial Intelligence and its relevance to The Matrix
• The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Innovation
• The Potential Negative Impact of Artificial Intelligence in the Future
• An Overview of the Principles of Artificial Intelligence and the Views of Noam Chomsky
• How Artificial Intelligence Technology can be Used to Treat Diabetes
• Artificial Intelligence and the UK Labour Market: Questions, Methods and a Call for a Systematic Approach to Information Gathering
• An Overview of Artificial Intelligence and Its Future Disadvantage to Our Modern Society
• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Applications in Smart Production: Progress, Trends, and Directions
• Comparing the Different Views of John Searle and Alan Turing on the Debate on Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• A Comparison of Cognitive Ability and Information Processing in Artificial Intelligence
• Improvisation Of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Using Artificial Intelligence
• Artificial Intelligence and Its Implications for Income Distribution and Unemployment
• The Application of Artificial Intelligence in Real-Time Strategy Games
• Advancement in Technology Can Someday Bring Artificial Intelligence to Reality
• Artificial Intelligence Based Congestion Control Mechanism Via Bayesian Networks Under Opportunistic
• Artificial Intelligence Is Lost in the Woods a Conscious Mind Will Never Be Built Out of Software
• An Analysis of the Concept of Artificial Intelligence in Relation to Business
• The Different Issues Concerning the Creation of Artificial Intelligence
• Traditional Philosophical Problems Surrounding Induction Relating to Artificial Intelligence
• The Importance of Singularity and Artificial Intelligence to People
• Man Machine Collaboration And The Rise Of Artificial Intelligence
• What Are the Ethical Challenges for Companies Working In Artificial Intelligence?
• Will Artificial Intelligence Have a Progressive or Retrogressive Impact on Our Society?
• Why Won’t Artificial Intelligence Dominate the Future?
• Will Artificial Intelligence Overpower Human Beings?
• How Does Artificial Intelligence Affect the Retail Industry?
• What Can Artificial Intelligence Offer Coral Reef Managers?
• Will Artificial Intelligence Replace Computational Economists Any Time Soon?
• How Can Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Impact Market Design?
• Can Artificial Intelligence Lead to a More Sustainable Society?
• Will Artificial Intelligence Replace Humans at Job?
• How Can Artificial Intelligence Help Us?
• How Will Artificial Intelligence Affect the Job Industry in the Future?
• Can Artificial Intelligence Become Smarter Than Humans?
• How Would You Define Artificial Intelligence?
• Should Artificial Intelligence Have Human Rights?
• How Do Artificial Intelligence and Siri Operate in Regards to Language?
• What Are the Impacts of Artificial Intelligence on the Creative Industries?
• How Can Artificial Intelligence Help Us Understand Human Creativity?
• When Will Artificial Intelligence Defeat Human Intelligence?
• How Can Artificial Intelligence Technology Be Used to Treat Diabetes?
• Will Artificial Intelligence Replace Mankind?
• How Will Artificial Intelligence Affect Social Media Monitoring?
• Can Artificial Intelligence Change the Way in Which Companies Recruit, Train, Develop, and Manage Human Resources in Workplace?
• How Does Mary Shelley’s Depiction Show the Threats of Artificial Intelligence?
• Why Must Artificial Intelligence Be Regulated?
• Will Artificial Intelligence Devices Become Human’s Best Friend?
• Does Artificial Intelligence Exist?
• Can Artificial Intelligence Be Dangerous?
• Why Do We Need Artificial Intelligence?
• Agile Project Management Research Topics
• Data Management Essay Ideas
• Software Engineering Topics
• Digital Transformation Topics
• Functionalism Titles
• Cognitive Development Essay Ideas
• Information Management Paper Topics
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2023, November 8). 106 Artificial Intelligence Essay Topics & Samples. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/artificial-intelligence-essay-examples/

"106 Artificial Intelligence Essay Topics & Samples." IvyPanda , 8 Nov. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/topic/artificial-intelligence-essay-examples/.

IvyPanda . (2023) '106 Artificial Intelligence Essay Topics & Samples'. 8 November.

IvyPanda . 2023. "106 Artificial Intelligence Essay Topics & Samples." November 8, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/artificial-intelligence-essay-examples/.

1. IvyPanda . "106 Artificial Intelligence Essay Topics & Samples." November 8, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/artificial-intelligence-essay-examples/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "106 Artificial Intelligence Essay Topics & Samples." November 8, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/artificial-intelligence-essay-examples/.

Artificial intelligence as a discursive practice: the case of embodied software agent systems

• Original Article
• Published: 21 October 2003
• Volume 17 , pages 340–363, ( 2003 )

Cite this article

• Sean Zdenek 1  

550 Accesses

10 Citations

Explore all metrics

In this paper, I explore some of the ways in which Artificial Intelligence (AI) is mediated discursively. I assume that AI is informed by an “ancestral dream” to reproduce nature by artificial means. This dream drives the production of “cyborg discourse”, which hinges on the belief that human nature (especially intelligence) can be reduced to symbol manipulation and hence replicated in a machine. Cyborg discourse, I suggest, produces AI systems by rhetorical means; it does not merely describe AI systems or reflect a set of prevailing attitudes about technology. To support this argument, I analyse a set of research articles about an “embodied conversational agent” called the Real Estate Agent (REA). The articles about REA mobilise a set of rhetorical strategies that systematically downplay the system’s artificiality and bolster its humanlike qualities. Within the context of the dream of AI to produce humanlike machines, and given our strong bias for human-human interaction, the designers’ claim to REA’s humanness in their research articles, as I argue in the final section of this paper, needs little justification.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price includes VAT (Russian Federation)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Rent this article via DeepDyve

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

E. M. Forster’s ‘The Machine Stops’: humans, technology and dialogue

Anthropological crisis or crisis in moral status: a philosophy of technology approach to the moral consideration of artificial intelligence.

Ethical Problems of Introducing Artificial Intelligence into the Contemporary Society

This metaphor does not guarantee that all computer systems will be interpreted as humanlike. Rather, the point here is simply that cyborg discourse is grounded on the potential identity of humans and machines. While it might be more precise, later in this paper, to rewrite this metaphor as A Software Agent is A Human, it is in fact my contention that cyborg discourse contributes to the blurring of the boundary between humans and machines, and thus opens up an interpretive space in which it makes sense (or at least it does not seem so bizarre) to speak of humanlike computers.

I have appropriated Hayles’ ( 1999 ) language here with the exception of one important substitution. Hayles ( 1999 ) suggests, as a way to explain the concept of reflexivity, that the US Constitution “is shown to produce the very people whose existence it presupposes.” The text of the Constitution does not so much describe the “people” as bring them into being in the very act of labelling/describing them. “Reflexivity is the movement whereby that which has been used to generate a system is made, through a changed perspective, to become part of the system it generates”.

While the GNL group has written at least seventeen papers about REA to date, two of these papers were not counted in my sample because they are basically identical to two other papers in my sample. All of GNL’s most recent publications and conference papers are available online. Page references in the text refer to page numbers in the electronic copies of GNL articles, not to page numbers in the journals and proceedings where some of the articles have been published. Download articles from http://web.media.mit.edu/~justine/publications.html and http://gn.www.media.mit.edu/groups/gn/publications.html .

I often use “Cassell et al.” as shorthand for all of the members of the “Gesture and Narrative Language” group, even when a specific article I am citing has not been first-authored by Cassell. I do this because I am assuming that Cassell is the driving force of the group—GNL is her group after all—and she thus plays a critical role in all the group’s publications, even in rare cases where a GNL publication is not first-authored or single-authored by Cassell.

Excerpts are shown here as they originally appeared in the sources: no changes to spelling, punctuation, or grammar have been made.

In “Human Conversation as a System Framework,” Cassell et al. ( 2000 a) cite Dehn and van Mulken in their references as “forthcoming.” It is difficult to say, however, just how many GNL articles in my sample had been published or presented prior to the availability among GNL group members of Dehn and van Mulken’s review. A conservative estimate would put the number in my sample at 12, since the remaining 3 of 15 articles were published in the fall of 1999, which is when GNL group members would have first read the Dehn and van Mulken review but not necessarily before they wrote the three 1999 articles in my sample.

Andre E Rist T and Mueller J (1998) Integrating reactive and scripted behaviors in a life-like presentation agent. In: Proceedings of Agents 98, ACM Press, Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN

Baggi DL (2000) The intelligence left in AI. AI & Soc 14:348–378

Google Scholar  

Bazerman C (1999) The languages of Edison’s light. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA

Bickmore T, Cassell J (1999) Small talk and conversational storytelling in embodied interface agents. In: Proceedings of the AAAI Fall Symposium on Narrative Intelligence, Falmouth, MA, 5–7 November 1999

Bickmore T, Cassell J (2001) Relational agents: a model and implementation of building user trust. In: Proceedings of ACM CHI 2001 Conference, Seattle, WA, March 2001

Blommaert J, Bulcaen C (2000) Critical discourse analysis. Ann Rev Anthrop 29:447–66

Article   Google Scholar  

Bolter JD, Grusin R (1996) Remediation. Config 4(3):311–358

Bringsjord S, Noel R and Caporale C (2003). Animals, zombanimals, and the total Turing test: the essence of artificial intelligence. J Log Lang Info (in press)

Cassell J (2000) Embodied conversational interface agents. Commun ACM 34(4):70–78

Cassell J (2001) Embodied conversational agents: representation and intelligence in user interface. AI Mag 22(3):67–83

Cassell J, Bickmore T (2002) Negotiated collusion: modeling social language and its relationship effects in intelligent agents, user modeling and adaptive interfaces. 12:1–44

Cassell J, Bickmore T, Billinghurst M, Campbell L, Chang K, Vilhjálmsson H and Yan H (1999) Embodiment in conversational interfaces: REA. In Proceedings of ACM CHI ‘99, Pittsburgh, PA, 15–20 May 1999

Cassell J, Bickmore T, Campbell L, Vilhjálmsson H and Yan H (2000a) Human conversation as a system framework: designing embodied conversational agents. In: Cassell J, Sullivan J, Prevost S and Churchill E (eds) Embodied conversational agents, The MIT Press, Cambridge, MA

Cassell J, Bickmore T, Vilhjálmsson H and Yan H (2000b) More than just a pretty face: affordances of embodiment. In: Proceedings of 2000 International Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces, New Orleans, LA, 9–12 January 2000

Cassell J, Stone M (1999) Living hand to mouth: psychological theories about speech and gesture in interactive dialogue systems. In: Proceedings of the AAAI Fall Symposium on Narrative Intelligence, Falmouth, MA, 5–7 November 1999

Charniak E, McDermott D (1985) Introduction to artificial intelligence. Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA

Colby KM, Watt JB and Gilbert JP (1966) A computer method of psychotherapy: preliminary communication. J Nerv Mental Dis 142:148–152

Copeland J (1993) Artificial intelligence: a philosophical introduction. Blackwell Press, Oxford, UK

Dehn DM and van Mulken S (2000) The impact of animated interface agents: a review of empirical research. Int J Hum-Comp Stud 52:1–22

Fairclough N, Wodak R (1997) Critical discourse analysis. In: van Dijk TA (ed) Discourse as social interaction, Sage, London

Flowerdew J (1999) Description and interpretation in critical discourse analysis. J Prag 31 : 1089–99

Foner L (1993) What’s an agent, anyway? A sociological case study. http://foner.www.media.mit.edu/people/foner/agents.html . Cited 28 June 2002

Gee JP (1999). An introduction to discourse analysis: theory and method. Routledge, London

The Gesture and Narrative Language group website. http://gn.www.media.mit.edu/groups/gn/ . Cited 24 July 2002

Hayles NK (1999) How we became posthuman: virtual bodies in cybernetics, literature, and informatics. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL

Hodge R, Kress G (1993) Language as ideology, 2nd ed. Routledge, London

Johnson S (1997). Interface culture. HarperCollins, New York

Kiriazis J and Slobodchikoff CN (1997) Anthropocentrism and the study of animal language. In: Mitchell RW, Thompson NS and Miles HL (eds) Anthropomorphism, anecdotes, and animals, State University of New York Press, Albany, NY

Koda T, Maes P (1996) Agents with faces: the effect of personification. In: Proceedings of the Fifth IEEE International Workshop on Robot and Human Communication, Tsukuba, Japan, November 1996

Kurzweil Ray (1990) The age of intelligent machines. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA

Lakoff G, Johnson M (1980) Metaphors we live by. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL

Latour B (1988) Mixing humans and nonhumans together: the sociology of a door-closer. Soc Probl 35(3):298–310

Latour B (1991) Technology is society made durable. In: Law L (ed) A sociology of monsters: essays on power, technology, and domination. Routledge, London

Latour B, Woolgar S (1986) Laboratory life: the construction of scientific facts. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ

Lester JC, Converse SA, Kahler SE, Barlow ST, Stone BA and Bhogal RS (1997) The persona effect: affective impact of animated pedagogical agents. In: Proceedings of CHI’97, Atlanta, Georgia, 22-27 March 1997

Mauldin M (1994) Chatterbots, TinyMUDs, and the Turing test: entering the Loebner Prize competition. In: Proceedings of AAAI-94. Seattle, Washington, 31 July–4 August 1994

Minsky M (1988) The society of mind. Simon & Schuster, New York

MIT Media Lab website. Summary of Gesture and Narrative Language group. http://gonzo.media.mit.edu/public/web/group.php?type=researchGroup&id=22 . Cited 28 July 2002

Nass C, Steuer J and Tauber ER (1994) Computers are social actors. In: Proceedings on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Boston, MA, April 1994

Negrotti M (2000) Towards a general theory of the artificial. AI & Soc 14:268–299

O’Brien J (1999) Writing in the body: gender (re)production in online interaction. In: Smith MA, Kollock P (eds) Communities in cyberspace. Routledge, London

Picard RW (1997) Affective computing. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA

Reddy MJ (1979) The conduit metaphor: a case of frame conflict in our language about language. In: Ortony A (ed) Metaphor and thought, The University of Cambridge Press, Cambridge, UK

Reeves B, Nass C (1996) The media equation: how people treat computers, television, and new media like real people and places. CSLI Publications, Stanford, CA

Russell S (2002) Home page for artificial intelligence: a modern approach. http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~russell/adoptions.html . Cited 15 July 2002

Russell S, Norvig P (1995) Artificial intelligence: a modern approach. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ

Sengers P (1998). Anti-boxology: agent design in cultural context. Dissertation, Carnegie Mellon University

Shneiderman B (1998) Designing the user interface: strategies for effective human-computer interaction, 3rd ed. Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA

Shoham Y (1993) Agent-oriented programming. Artif Intell 60:51–92

Article   MathSciNet   Google Scholar  

Takeuchi A, Naito T (1995) Situated facial displays: towards social interaction. In: Katz I, Mack R, Marks L, Rosson M and Nielsen J (eds) Human factors in computing systems, CHI’95 Conference Proceedings, ACM Press, New York

Vaux J (2001) From expert systems to knowledge-based companies: how the AI industry negotiated a market for knowledge. Soc Epist 15(3):231–245

Wakeford N (1999) Gender and the landscapes of computing in an Internet café. In: Crang M, Crang P (eds) Virtual geographies: bodies, space, and relations, Routledge, London

Weizenbaum J (1966) ELIZA—a computer program for the study of natural language communication between man and machine. Comm ACM 9:36–45

Winner L (1985) Do artifacts have politics? In: MacKenzie D, Wajcman J (eds) The social shaping of technology, Open University Press, Milton Keynes, UK

Wise JM (1998) Intelligent agency. Cult Stud 12(3):410–428

Wood LA, Kroger RO (2000) Doing discourse analysis: methods for studying action in talk and text. Sage: Thousand Oaks, CA

Woolgar ST (1991) Configuring the user: the case of usability trials. In: Law J (ed) A sociology of monsters: essays on power, technology, and domination, Routledge, London

Zdenek S (1999) Rising up from the MUD: inscribing gender in software design. Dis Soci 10(3):379–409

Zdenek S (2002) Scripting Sylvie: language, gender, and humanness in public discourse about software agents. In: Benor S, Rose M, Sharma D, Sweetland J and Zhang Q. (eds) Gendered practices in language. CSLI Press, Stanford, CA

Download references

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank the editors and anonymous reviewers of AI & Society for providing valuable feedback on earlier drafts of this paper. I would also like to thank the participants at the 2002 Humanities and Technology Association conference in Terre Haute, Indiana, where another version of this paper was presented. Finally, I would like to thank Professor Justine Cassell, director of the Gesture and Narrative Language group at MIT’s Media Lab, for graciously allowing me to use the images of REA that appear in this paper.

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Department of English, Technical Communication & Rhetoric Program, Texas Tech University, Box 43091, Lubbock, TX, 79409-3091, USA

Sean Zdenek

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sean Zdenek .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Zdenek, S. Artificial intelligence as a discursive practice: the case of embodied software agent systems. AI & Soc 17 , 340–363 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-003-0284-8

Download citation

Received : 17 January 2003

Accepted : 15 April 2003

Published : 21 October 2003

Issue Date : November 2003

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-003-0284-8

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Software agents
• Find a journal
• Publish with us
• Track your research

Presentations made painless

• Get Premium

114 Artificial Intelligence Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a rapidly growing field that has the potential to revolutionize various aspects of our lives. From autonomous vehicles to virtual assistants, AI technologies are becoming increasingly prevalent. If you have been assigned an essay on artificial intelligence and are struggling to come up with a topic, look no further. Here are 114 AI essay topic ideas and examples to inspire your writing:

• The impact of AI on job automation: How will AI technologies reshape the workforce?
• The ethical implications of AI: Should there be limits on how AI can be used?
• The future of AI in healthcare: How can AI enhance medical diagnosis and treatment?
• The role of AI in education: How can AI technologies improve the learning experience?
• AI and privacy concerns: What are the risks associated with AI technologies and personal data?
• The use of AI in criminal justice: Can AI systems make fair and unbiased decisions?
• The potential dangers of superintelligent AI: Should we be concerned about AI surpassing human intelligence?
• AI and creativity: Can AI systems be creative in the same way humans are?
• The impact of AI on mental health: How can AI technologies assist in diagnosing and treating mental illnesses?
• The role of AI in climate change mitigation: How can AI help reduce carbon emissions?
• The future of transportation with AI: How will autonomous vehicles change the way we travel?
• AI and cybersecurity: Can AI technologies enhance our ability to detect and prevent cyber attacks?
• The impact of AI on social interactions: How will AI-powered virtual assistants affect human relationships?
• Bias in AI algorithms: How can we ensure fairness and impartiality in AI decision-making?
• The ethical implications of using AI in warfare: Should autonomous weapons be allowed?
• AI and the arts: How can AI technologies be used in creative fields such as music and painting?
• The role of AI in disaster response: How can AI help in predicting and managing natural disasters?
• The impact of AI on journalism: How will AI technologies influence news reporting and media?
• The use of AI in agriculture: How can AI optimize farming practices?
• AI and financial markets: How can AI algorithms be used for better investment decisions?
• The challenges of regulating AI: How can governments ensure safe and responsible development of AI technologies?
• AI and human rights: What are the potential threats to privacy and freedom posed by AI?
• The role of AI in space exploration: How can AI assist in exploring the universe?
• AI and language translation: How can AI technologies improve communication across different languages?
• The impact of AI on creativity: Will AI systems replace human creativity or enhance it?
• The use of AI in customer service: How can AI-powered chatbots improve customer experiences?
• AI and the future of work: How will AI technologies affect employment opportunities?
• The role of AI in personalized medicine: How can AI help tailor treatments for individual patients?
• AI and education inequality: How can AI technologies bridge the gap between privileged and underprivileged students?
• The impact of AI on the economy: Will AI lead to job creation or job displacement?
• AI and augmented reality: How can AI enhance the AR experience?
• The use of AI in sports: How can AI technologies optimize performance and training?
• AI and natural language processing: How can AI understand and generate human language?
• The impact of AI on the legal profession: Will AI replace lawyers in the future?
• The role of AI in combating fake news: How can AI technologies detect and prevent misinformation?
• AI and emotional intelligence: Can AI systems develop emotional intelligence?
• The use of AI in wildlife conservation: How can AI technologies help protect endangered species?
• AI and transportation infrastructure: How can AI improve traffic management and reduce congestion?
• The impact of AI on the entertainment industry: How will AI technologies shape the future of movies and gaming?
• AI and personalized advertising: How can AI algorithms target ads to individual preferences?
• The role of AI in disaster recovery: How can AI assist in rebuilding after natural disasters?
• AI and mental well-being: Can AI technologies provide therapy and support for mental health?
• The use of AI in social media: How can AI detect and prevent harmful content?
• AI and the future of energy: How can AI optimize energy consumption and production?
• The impact of AI on democracy: What are the implications of AI for political systems?
• AI and robotics: How can AI enhance the capabilities and interactions of robots?
• AI and the aging population: How can AI technologies improve the quality of life for elderly individuals?
• The use of AI in retail: How can AI technologies personalize the shopping experience?
• AI and virtual reality: How can AI enhance the VR experience?
• The impact of AI on creativity in the workplace: Will AI systems replace or empower human creativity?
• AI and autonomous drones: What are the potential applications and risks?
• The role of AI in social justice: How can AI technologies address systemic biases and discrimination?
• AI and disaster prediction: How can AI assist in predicting natural disasters?
• The use of AI in architecture and design: How can AI technologies optimize building design?
• AI and sustainable development: How can AI help achieve environmental and social sustainability?
• The impact of AI on the music industry: How will AI technologies shape music production and consumption?
• AI and the future of democracy: Can AI improve citizen engagement and participation?
• The role of AI in personalized learning: How can AI technologies adapt educational content to individual students?
• AI and autonomous robots in healthcare: What are the benefits and risks?
• The use of AI in supply chain management: How can AI optimize logistics and inventory management?
• AI and emotional recognition: How can AI systems understand and respond to human emotions?
• The impact of AI on urban planning: How can AI technologies create smarter and more sustainable cities?
• AI and cybersecurity threats: How can AI be used to detect and prevent cyber attacks?
• The role of AI in personalized news curation: How can AI algorithms tailor news articles to individual interests?
• AI and personalized fashion: How can AI technologies help consumers find their unique style?
• The impact of AI on social inequality: Will AI exacerbate or alleviate existing inequalities?
• AI and decision-making: Can AI systems make better decisions than humans?
• The use of AI in cultural preservation: How can AI technologies help protect and restore cultural heritage?
• AI and the future of transportation infrastructure: How can AI technologies improve roads, bridges, and public transportation?
• The role of AI in early detection of diseases: How can AI assist in diagnosing illnesses at an early stage?
• AI and personalized entertainment: How can AI technologies tailor movies, music, and games to individual preferences?
• The impact of AI on customer behavior analysis: How can AI algorithms predict and influence consumer choices?
• AI and the future of democracy: How can AI technologies promote transparency and accountability in governance?
• The use of AI in disaster relief: How can AI assist in coordinating rescue and aid efforts?
• AI and sustainable agriculture: How can AI technologies optimize farming practices while minimizing environmental impact?
• The role of AI in personalized marketing: How can AI algorithms target advertisements to individual preferences?
• AI and the future of privacy: How can AI technologies protect personal data in an increasingly connected world?
• The impact of AI on creative industries: Will AI systems replace or collaborate with human artists?
• AI and autonomous ships: What are the potential benefits and challenges?
• The use of AI in wildlife monitoring: How can AI technologies help track and protect endangered species?
• AI and the future of cybersecurity: How can AI technologies stay ahead of evolving cyber threats?
• The role of AI in personalized fitness: How can AI technologies optimize exercise routines and nutrition plans?
• AI and personalized travel recommendations: How can AI algorithms suggest tailored itineraries to individual travelers?
• The impact of AI on income inequality: Will AI exacerbate or reduce economic disparities?
• AI and the future of journalism: How can AI technologies assist in news reporting and fact-checking?
• The use of AI in waste management: How can AI technologies optimize recycling and waste disposal?
• AI and autonomous farming: How can AI technologies improve crop yield and reduce resource consumption?
• The role of AI in personalized financial advice: How can AI algorithms help individuals make better financial decisions?
• AI and the future of privacy: How can AI technologies protect personal information in the age of big data?
• The impact of AI on the film industry: How will AI technologies influence movie production and special effects?
• AI and autonomous construction: What are the potential applications and challenges?
• The use of AI in marine conservation: How can AI technologies help protect marine ecosystems?
• AI and the future of transportation logistics: How can AI optimize the movement of goods and reduce carbon emissions?
• The role of AI in personalized healthcare: How can AI technologies tailor treatments to individual patients?
• AI and personalized gaming: How can AI algorithms create unique gaming experiences for individual players?
• The impact of AI on voting systems: Can AI technologies improve the accuracy and security of elections?
• AI and sustainable urban planning: How can AI technologies create greener and more livable cities?
• The use of AI in personalized nutrition: How can AI algorithms optimize diets for individual health goals?
• AI and the future of privacy: How can AI technologies balance the benefits of data analysis with privacy concerns?
• The role of AI in personalized advertising: How can AI algorithms target ads to individual preferences without invading privacy?
• AI and autonomous underwater vehicles: What are the potential applications and challenges?
• The impact of AI on wildlife conservation: How will AI technologies enhance conservation efforts?
• AI and the future of transportation safety: How can AI technologies prevent accidents and improve road conditions?
• The use of AI in personalized fashion design: How can AI algorithms create customized clothing?
• AI and sustainable energy management: How can AI technologies optimize energy usage in homes and buildings?
• The role of AI in personalized learning platforms: How can AI technologies adapt educational content to individual students' needs?
• AI and the future of privacy: How can AI technologies protect personal information from unauthorized access?
• The impact of AI on the gaming industry: How will AI technologies enhance gameplay and virtual worlds?
• AI and autonomous construction robots: What are the potential benefits and risks?
• The use of AI in personalized travel planning: How can AI algorithms create tailored itineraries based on individual preferences?
• AI and sustainable transportation: How can AI technologies optimize public transportation and reduce carbon emissions?
• The role of AI in personalized mental health support: How can AI technologies provide therapy and counseling?
• AI and personalized music creation: How can AI algorithms compose music based on individual preferences?
• The impact of AI on social media manipulation: Can AI technologies detect and prevent the spread of fake news and misinformation?

These 114 artificial intelligence essay topic ideas and examples cover a wide range of areas where AI technologies can make a significant impact. Whether you're interested in the ethical implications of AI or its potential applications in various industries, there is a topic here for you. Choose one that sparks your curiosity and start writing an insightful and engaging essay on artificial intelligence.

Want to create a presentation now?

Instantly Create A Deck

Let PitchGrade do this for me

Hassle Free

We will create your text and designs for you. Sit back and relax while we do the work.

Explore More Content

• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Service

© 2023 Pitchgrade

Artificial Intelligence Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on artificial intelligence.

Artificial Intelligence refers to the intelligence of machines. This is in contrast to the natural intelligence of humans and animals. With Artificial Intelligence, machines perform functions such as learning, planning, reasoning and problem-solving. Most noteworthy, Artificial Intelligence is the simulation of human intelligence by machines. It is probably the fastest-growing development in the World of technology and innovation . Furthermore, many experts believe AI could solve major challenges and crisis situations.

Types of Artificial Intelligence

First of all, the categorization of Artificial Intelligence is into four types. Arend Hintze came up with this categorization. The categories are as follows:

Type 1: Reactive machines – These machines can react to situations. A famous example can be Deep Blue, the IBM chess program. Most noteworthy, the chess program won against Garry Kasparov , the popular chess legend. Furthermore, such machines lack memory. These machines certainly cannot use past experiences to inform future ones. It analyses all possible alternatives and chooses the best one.

Type 2: Limited memory – These AI systems are capable of using past experiences to inform future ones. A good example can be self-driving cars. Such cars have decision making systems . The car makes actions like changing lanes. Most noteworthy, these actions come from observations. There is no permanent storage of these observations.

Type 3: Theory of mind – This refers to understand others. Above all, this means to understand that others have their beliefs, intentions, desires, and opinions. However, this type of AI does not exist yet.

Type 4: Self-awareness – This is the highest and most sophisticated level of Artificial Intelligence. Such systems have a sense of self. Furthermore, they have awareness, consciousness, and emotions. Obviously, such type of technology does not yet exist. This technology would certainly be a revolution .

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Applications of Artificial Intelligence

First of all, AI has significant use in healthcare. Companies are trying to develop technologies for quick diagnosis. Artificial Intelligence would efficiently operate on patients without human supervision. Such technological surgeries are already taking place. Another excellent healthcare technology is IBM Watson.

Artificial Intelligence in business would significantly save time and effort. There is an application of robotic automation to human business tasks. Furthermore, Machine learning algorithms help in better serving customers. Chatbots provide immediate response and service to customers.

AI can greatly increase the rate of work in manufacturing. Manufacture of a huge number of products can take place with AI. Furthermore, the entire production process can take place without human intervention. Hence, a lot of time and effort is saved.

Artificial Intelligence has applications in various other fields. These fields can be military , law , video games , government, finance, automotive, audit, art, etc. Hence, it’s clear that AI has a massive amount of different applications.

To sum it up, Artificial Intelligence looks all set to be the future of the World. Experts believe AI would certainly become a part and parcel of human life soon. AI would completely change the way we view our World. With Artificial Intelligence, the future seems intriguing and exciting.

{ “@context”: “https://schema.org”, “@type”: “FAQPage”, “mainEntity”: [{ “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “Give an example of AI reactive machines?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”: “Reactive machines react to situations. An example of it is the Deep Blue, the IBM chess program, This program defeated the popular chess player Garry Kasparov.” } }, { “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “How do chatbots help in business?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”:”Chatbots help in business by assisting customers. Above all, they do this by providing immediate response and service to customers.”} }] }

Customize your course in 30 seconds

Which class are you in.

• Travelling Essay
• Picnic Essay
• Our Country Essay
• My Parents Essay
• Essay on Favourite Personality
• Essay on Memorable Day of My Life
• Essay on Knowledge is Power
• Essay on Gurpurab
• Essay on My Favourite Season
• Essay on Types of Sports

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Download the App

The Debate on Artificial Intelligence: An Argumentative Essay

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a polarizing topic, eliciting passionate arguments from proponents and skeptics alike. This argumentative essay delves into the heart of the AI debate, examining both sides of the coin. Artificial Intelligence, while promising remarkable technological advancements, also raises profound concerns about privacy, bias, and the future of human labor.

Arguments in Favor of AI

• Enhanced Efficiency : AI has proven its ability to significantly enhance efficiency in various industries, automating tasks, and reducing the margin of error.
• Innovative Healthcare : AI has the potential to revolutionize healthcare by improving diagnostics, predicting disease outbreaks, and personalizing treatment plans.
• Economic Growth : AI-driven automation can lead to economic growth by increasing productivity and creating new industries and jobs.

Counterarguments Against AI

• Privacy Concerns : The vast data AI requires poses a significant threat to individual privacy, as it can be misused or inadequately protected.
• Algorithmic Bias : AI algorithms can inherit and perpetuate societal biases, potentially leading to discrimination and unfair treatment.
• Job Displacement : Automation and AI may lead to job displacement, potentially causing economic and social unrest.

Rebuttal of Counter Arguments

The standard argumentative essay format includes a section where the counterarguments are addressed and rebutted. Here, the essay should discuss how privacy concerns can be mitigated, how biases can be reduced, and how job displacement can be managed in the AI era. 

The conclusion serves as the final opportunity to reinforce the thesis statement and summarize the main arguments. It should be structured as a strong, memorable closing statement, reiterating the position taken in the essay: "While the challenges posed by AI are significant, they are not insurmountable. The future of artificial intelligence hinges on responsible development, ethical considerations, and a commitment to harness its potential for the greater good."

Ready to simplify your argumentative essay writing? Discover how we can make it easier for you!

Try AI Essay Writer Today!

Keep Reading

Ai Impact On Industry

The Argument For And Against Ai

Get started for free

Please enter a valid Name

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid Phone Number

Please enter a valid Password

By creating your account, you agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy .

Already have an account? Sign In here.

Please enter your email address

Show Password

Forgot Password?

Don’t have an account? Sign Up

Verify Your Account

Enter the verification codes to confirm your identity.

Code sent to [email protected]

Send again in seconds

Code sent to +1 302 385 6690

26 Planning a Discursive Essay

Discursive essay – description.

A discursive essay is a form of critical essay that attempts to provide the reader with a balanced argument on a topic, supported by evidence. It requires critical thinking, as well as sound and valid arguments (see Chapter 25) that acknowledge and analyse arguments both for and against any given topic, plus discursive essay writing appeals to reason, not emotions or opinions. While it may draw some tentative conclusions, based on evidence, the main aim of a discursive essay is to inform the reader of the key arguments and allow them to arrive at their own conclusion.

The writer needs to research the topic thoroughly to present more than one perspective and should check their own biases and assumptions through critical reflection (see Chapter 30).

Unlike persuasive writing, the writer does not need to have knowledge of the audience, though should write using academic tone and language (see Chapter 20).

Choose Your Topic Carefully

A basic guide to choosing an assignment topic is available in Chapter 23, however choosing a topic for a discursive essay means considering more than one perspective. Not only do you need to find information about the topic via academic sources, you need to be able to construct a worthwhile discussion, moving from idea to idea. Therefore, more forward planning is required. The following are decisions that need to be considered when choosing a discursive essay topic:

• These will become the controlling ideas for your three body paragraphs (some essays may require more). Each controlling idea will need arguments both for and against.
• For example, if my topic is “renewable energy” and my three main (controlling) ideas are “cost”, “storage”, “environmental impact”, then I will need to consider arguments both for and against each of these three concepts. I will also need to have good academic sources with examples or evidence to support my claim and counter claim for each controlling idea (More about this in Chapter 27).
• Am I able to write a thesis statement about this topic based on the available research? In other words, do my own ideas align with the available research, or am I going to be struggling to support my own ideas due to a lack of academic sources or research? You need to be smart about your topic choice. Do not make it harder than it has to be. Writing a discursive essay is challenging enough without struggling to find appropriate sources.
• For example, perhaps I find a great academic journal article about the uptake of solar panel installation in suburban Australia and how this household decision is cost-effective long-term, locally stored, and has minimal, even beneficial environmental impact due to the lowering of carbon emissions. Seems too good to be true, yet it is perfect for my assignment. I would have to then find arguments AGAINST everything in the article that supports transitioning suburbs to solar power. I would have to challenge the cost-effectiveness, the storage, and the environmental impact study. Now, all of a sudden my task just became much more challenging.
• There may be vast numbers of journal articles written about your topic, but consider how relevant they may be to your tentative thesis statement. It takes a great deal of time to search for appropriate academic sources. Do you have a good internet connection at home or will you need to spend some quality time at the library? Setting time aside to complete your essay research is crucial for success.

It is only through complete forward planning about the shape and content of your essay that you may be able to choose the topic that best suits your interests, academic ability and time management. Consider how you will approach the overall project, not only the next step.

Research Your Topic

When completing a library search for online peer reviewed journal articles, do not forget to use Boolean Operators to refine or narrow your search field. Standard Boolean Operators are (capitalized) AND, OR and NOT. While using OR will expand your search, AND and NOT will reduce the scope of your search. For example, if I want information on ageism and care giving, but I only want it to relate to the elderly, I might use the following to search a database: ageism AND care NOT children. Remember to keep track of your search strings (like the one just used) and then you’ll know what worked and what didn’t as you come and go from your academic research.

The UQ Library provides an excellent step-by-step guide to searching databases:

Searching in databases – Library – University of Queensland (uq.edu.au)

Did you know that you can also link the UQ Library to Google Scholar? This link tells you how:

Google Scholar – Library – University of Queensland (uq.edu.au)

Write the Thesis Statement

The concept of a thesis statement was introduced in Chapter 21. The information below relates specifically to a discursive essay thesis statement.

As noted in the introduction to this chapter, the discursive essay should not take a stance and therefore the thesis statement must also impartially indicate more than one perspective. The goal is to present both sides of an argument equally and allow the reader to make an informed and well-reasoned choice after providing supporting evidence for each side of the argument.

Sample thesis statements: Solar energy is a cost -effective solution to burning fossil fuels for electricity , however lower income families cannot afford the installation costs .

Some studies indicate that teacher comments written in red may have no effect on students’ emotions , however other studies suggest that seeing red ink on papers could cause some students unnecessary stress. [1]

According to social justice principles, education should be available to all , yet historically, the intellectually and physically impaired may have been exempt from participation due to their supposed inability to learn. [2]

This is where your pros and cons list comes into play. For each pro, or positive statement you make, about your topic, create an equivalent con, or negative statement and this will enable you to arrive at two opposing assertions – the claim and counter claim.

While there may be multiple arguments or perspectives related to your essay topic, it is important that you match each claim with a counter-claim. This applies to the thesis statement and each supporting argument within the body paragraphs of the essay.

It is not just a matter of agreeing or disagreeing. A neutral tone is crucial. Do not include positive or negative leading statements, such as “It is undeniable that…” or “One should not accept the view that…”. You are NOT attempting to persuade the reader to choose one viewpoint over another.

Leading statements / language will be discussed further, in class, within term three of the Academic English course.

Thesis Structure:

• Note the two sides (indicated in green and orange)
• Note the use of tentative language: “Some studies”, “may have”, “could cause”, “some students”
• As the thesis is yet to be discussed in-depth, and you are not an expert in the field, do not use definitive language
• The statement is also one sentence, with a “pivot point” in the middle, with a comma and signposting to indicate a contradictory perspective (in black). Other examples include, nevertheless, though, although, regardless, yet, albeit. DO NOT use the word “but” as it lacks academic tone. Some signposts (e.g., although, though, while) may be placed at the start of the two clauses rather than in the middle – just remember the comma, for example, “While some studies suggest solar energy is cost-effective, other critical research questions its affordability.”
• Also note that it is based on preliminary research and not opinion: “some studies”, “other studies”, “according to social justice principles”, “critical research”.

Claims and Counter Claims

NOTE: Please do not confuse the words ‘claim’ and ‘counter-claim’ with moral or value judgements about right/wrong, good/bad, successful/unsuccessful, or the like. The term ‘claim’ simply refers to the first position or argument you put forward (whether for or against), and ‘counter-claim’ is the alternate position or argument.

In a discursive essay the goal is to present both sides equally and then draw some tentative conclusions based on the evidence presented.

• To formulate your claims and counter claims, write a list of pros and cons.
• For each pro there should be a corresponding con.
• Three sets of pros and cons will be required for your discursive essay. One set for each body paragraph. These become your claims and counter claims.
• For a longer essay, you would need further claims and counter claims.
• Some instructors prefer students to keep the pros and cons in the same order across the body paragraphs. Each paragraph would then have a pro followed by a con or else a con followed by a pro. The order should align with your thesis; if the thesis gives a pro view of the topic followed by a negative view (con) then the paragraphs should also start with the pro and follow with the con, or else vice versa. If not aligned and consistent, the reader may easily become confused as the argument proceeds. Ask your teacher if this is a requirement for your assessment.

Use previous chapters to explore your chosen topic through concept mapping (Chapter 18) and essay outlining (Chapter 19), with one variance; you must include your proposed claims and counter claims in your proposed paragraph structures. What follows is a generic model for a discursive essay. The following Chapter 27 will examine this in further details.

Sample Discursive Essay Outline 

The paragraphs are continuous; the dot-points are only meant to indicate content.

Introduction

• Thesis statement
• Essay outline (including 3 controlling ideas)

Body Paragraphs X 3 (Elaboration and evidence will be more than one sentence, though the topic, claim and counter claim should be succinct)

• T opic sentence, including 1/3 controlling ideas (the topic remains the same throughout the entire essay; it is the controlling idea that changes)
• A claim/assertion about the controlling idea
• E laboration – more information about the claim
• E vidence -academic research (Don’t forget to tell the reader how / why the evidence supports the claim. Be explicit in your E valuation rather than assuming the connection is obvious to the reader)
• A counter claim (remember it must be COUNTER to the claim you made, not about something different)
• E laboration – more information about the counter claim
• E vidence – academic research (Don’t forget to tell the reader how / why the evidence supports the claim. Be explicit in your E valuation rather than assuming the connection is obvious to the reader)
• Concluding sentence – L inks back to the topic and/or the next controlling idea in the following paragraph

Mirror the introduction. The essay outline should have stated the plan for the essay – “This essay will discuss…”, therefore the conclusion should identify that this has been fulfilled, “This essay has discussed…”, plus summarise the controlling ideas and key arguments. ONLY draw tentative conclusions BOTH for and against, allowing the reader to make up their own mind about the topic. Also remember to re-state the thesis in the conclusion. If it is part of the marking criteria, you should also include a recommendation or prediction about the future use or cost/benefit of the chosen topic/concept.

A word of warning, many students fall into the generic realm of stating that there should be further research on their topic or in the field of study. This is a gross statement of the obvious as all academia is ongoing. Try to be more practical with your recommendations and also think about who would instigate them and where the funding might come from.

This chapter gives an overview of what a discursive essay is and a few things to consider when choosing your topic. It also provides a generic outline for a discursive essay structure. The following chapter examines the structure in further detail.

• Inez, S. M. (2018, September 10). What is a discursive essay, and how do you write a good one? Kibin. ↵
• Hale, A., & Basides, H. (2013). The keys to academic English. Palgrave ↵

researched, reliable, written by academics and published by reputable publishers; often, but not always peer reviewed

assertion, maintain as fact

The term ‘claim’ simply refers to the first position or argument you put forward (whether for or against), and ‘counter-claim’ is the alternate position or argument.

Academic Writing Skills Copyright © 2021 by Patricia Williamson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book

• Buy Custom Assignment
• Custom College Papers
• Buy Dissertation
• Buy Research Papers
• Buy Custom Term Papers
• Cheap Custom Term Papers
• Custom Courseworks
• Custom Thesis Papers
• Custom Expository Essays
• Custom Plagiarism Check
• Cheap Custom Essay
• Custom Argumentative Essays
• Custom Case Study
• Custom Annotated Bibliography
• Custom Book Report
• How It Works
• +1 (888) 398 0091
• Essay Samples
• Essay Topics
• Research Topics
• Writing Tips

How to Write a Discursive Essay

November 17, 2023

A discursive essay is a type of academic writing that presents both sides of an argument or issue. Unlike an argumentative essay where you take a clear stance and defend it, a discursive essay allows you to explore different perspectives and provide an objective analysis. It requires careful research, critical thinking, and the ability to present logical arguments in a structured manner.

In a discursive essay, you are expected to examine the topic thoroughly, present evidence and examples to support your points, and address counterarguments to demonstrate a balanced understanding of the issue. The purpose is not to persuade the reader to take a particular side, but rather to present a comprehensive view of the topic. By mastering the art of writing a discursive essay, you can effectively convey complex ideas and contribute to meaningful discussions on various subjects.

What’s different about writing a discursive essay

Writing a discursive essay differs from other types of essays in several ways. Here are some key differences to consider when approaching this particular form of academic writing:

• Explores multiple perspectives: Unlike an argumentative essay, a discursive essay examines different viewpoints on a given topic. It requires you to gather information, analyze various arguments, and present a balanced view.
• Structured presentation: A discursive essay follows a clear structure that helps organize your thoughts and arguments. It typically consists of an introduction, several body paragraphs discussing different arguments, and a conclusion.
• Impartiality and objectivity: While other essays may require you to take a stance or defend a particular position, a discursive essay aims for objectivity. You should present arguments and evidence without bias and demonstrate a fair understanding of each viewpoint.
• Importance of research: Good research is essential for a discursive essay. You should gather information from reliable sources, consider various perspectives, and present evidence to support your ideas.
• Addressing counterarguments: In a discursive essay, it is crucial to acknowledge and address counterarguments. By doing so, you show a comprehensive understanding of the topic and strengthen your own argument.
• Use of transitions: To maintain coherence and provide a smooth flow of ideas, appropriate transitions should be used to link paragraphs and signal shifts between arguments.

By recognizing these key differences and adapting your writing style accordingly, you can effectively write a discursive essay that engages the reader and presents a well-rounded discussion of the topic.

Step-by-Step Discursive Essay Writing Guide

Selecting a topic.

Selecting a topic for a discursive essay is a crucial first step in the writing process. Here are some considerations to help you choose an appropriate and engaging topic:

• Relevance: Select a topic that is relevant and holds significance in the current context. It should be something that sparks interest and discussion among readers.
• Controversy: Look for topics that have multiple perspectives and controversial viewpoints. This will allow you to explore different arguments and present a balanced analysis.
• Research opportunities: Choose a topic that offers ample research opportunities. This ensures that you have access to reliable sources and enough material to support your arguments.
• Personal interest: It is easier to write about a topic that you are genuinely interested in. Consider your own passion and areas of expertise when selecting a subject for your essay.
• Scope and depth: Ensure that the chosen topic is neither too broad nor too narrow. It should provide enough scope for thorough analysis and discussion within the word limit of your essay.

Remember, the topic sets the foundation for your discursive essay. Take time to consider these factors and select a topic that aligns with your interests, research capabilities, and the potential to present a well-rounded discussion.

Possible Discursive Essay Topics:

• The impact of social media on society.
• Should euthanasia be legalized?
• Pros and cons of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
• The influence of technology on human interactions.
• Is homeschooling more beneficial than traditional schooling?
• The effects of climate change on the environment.
• Should animal testing be banned?
• The advantages and disadvantages of globalization.
• The ethics of capital punishment.
• The legalization of marijuana: pros and cons.

Write the Thesis Statement

The thesis statement in a discursive essay serves as the central argument or main claim that sets the tone for the entire essay. It typically appears in the introductory paragraph and guides the reader’s understanding of the essay’s purpose and direction. Here are some key points to consider when crafting an effective thesis statement for a discursive essay:

• Clear stance: The thesis statement should clearly express your position or viewpoint on the topic. It should present a concise statement that reflects your overall argument or analysis.
• Controversy: The thesis statement should highlight the controversy or debate surrounding the topic. It should indicate that there are multiple perspectives to be explored and that you will discuss them in a balanced manner.
• Specificity: The thesis statement should not be too vague or general. It should address a specific aspect of the topic that you will focus on in your essay.
• Clarity: The thesis statement should be clear and easy to understand. It should provide a clear sense of direction for the reader, indicating the main points that will be discussed in the essay.
• Strong and compelling: The thesis statement should be strong and compelling, capturing the attention of the reader. It should be a statement that provokes thoughtful analysis and discussion.

By considering these factors, you can develop a thesis statement that effectively sets the tone for your discursive essay and captures the essence of your argument or analysis.

Conducting Research

Conducting thorough research is a critical step in writing a discursive essay. Here are some essential tips to help you effectively gather information and sources:

• Define your research question: Clearly define the question or issue you want to explore in your essay. This will guide your research and help you stay focused.
• Use a variety of sources: Gather information from a diverse range of sources, such as books, scholarly articles, reputable websites, and academic journals. This will ensure a well-rounded and comprehensive understanding of the topic.
• Evaluate the credibility of sources: Assess the reliability and credibility of each source before including it in your essay. Consider factors such as author credentials, publication date, peer-reviewed status, and the reputation of the source.
• Take organized notes: As you read and review your sources, take organized notes to keep track of key points, quotes, and references. This will make it easier to cite sources accurately later.
• Analyze and synthesize information: Analyze the information you have gathered and synthesize it into coherent arguments. Identify common themes, patterns, and conflicting viewpoints that will form the basis of your essay.
• Address counterarguments: Remember to consider and address counterarguments in your research. Engaging with opposing viewpoints will strengthen your arguments and demonstrate a well-rounded understanding of the topic.

By following these research strategies, you can gather reliable and varied sources to support your discursive essay, ensuring a balanced and well-informed discussion of the topic.

Writing the Introduction

The introduction sets the tone and direction for a discursive essay, providing context and background information on the topic. Here are some key elements to include when writing the introduction to a discursive essay:

• Grab the reader’s attention: Use a hook or attention-grabbing statement to draw the reader in and generate interest in the topic.
• Introduce the topic: Clearly state the topic and provide some background information to contextualize the issue.
• Define key terms: Define any key terms related to the topic that may be unfamiliar to the reader.
• Present the thesis statement: Clearly state your main argument or claim, which sets the tone for the rest of the essay.
• Outline the structure: Briefly outline the main points or arguments that will be addressed in the essay.
• Write in a discursive style: Use a discursive style of writing in the introduction that presents multiple viewpoints on the topic.

By including these elements, you can craft an effective introduction to your discursive essay that engages the reader, establishes the context for the topic, and clearly presents your thesis statement. Remember to present a balanced analysis of multiple viewpoints, maintaining the discursive style of the essay.

Presenting Arguments and Counterarguments

Presenting arguments and counterarguments is a crucial aspect of writing a discursive essay. Here are some strategies to effectively structure and present your arguments and counterarguments:

• Identify key arguments: Begin by identifying the main arguments or perspectives related to the topic. These arguments will form the basis of your essay and provide a framework for your analysis.
• Develop supporting evidence: Gather relevant evidence, examples, statistics, or expert opinions to support each argument. This evidence should be well-researched and credible to strengthen your claims.
• Present arguments in a logical order: Organize your arguments in a logical and coherent manner. You can choose to present each argument separately, dedicating individual paragraphs to each one or use a point-counterpoint approach where you counter each argument with a counterargument.
• Address counterarguments: Acknowledge and include counterarguments in your essay to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the topic. Refute counterarguments by presenting contrasting evidence or providing a persuasive rebuttal.
• Provide balanced analysis: While presenting arguments and counterarguments, ensure a balanced analysis that gives due weight to each viewpoint. Avoid bias and strive for objectivity by presenting evidence from various perspectives.
• Use transition words and phrases: Utilize appropriate transition words and phrases to guide the reader through the presentation of arguments and counterarguments. Examples include “on the one hand,” “however,” “in contrast,” “nevertheless,” etc.

By following these strategies, you can effectively present arguments and counterarguments in your discursive essay, demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the topic and engaging the reader in a thoughtful analysis.

Writing the Body Paragraphs

When writing the body paragraphs of a discursive essay, it’s important to present a balanced and well-structured analysis of the topic. Here are some key strategies to consider:

• Organize your paragraphs: Each body paragraph should focus on a single argument or idea. Start with a clear topic sentence that introduces the main point of the paragraph.
• Provide evidence and examples: Support your arguments with evidence, facts, statistics, or examples from credible sources. This will enhance the validity and persuasiveness of your arguments.
• Use logical reasoning: Present clear and coherent reasoning to connect your evidence with your main argument. Use logic and critical thinking to explain the relevance and significance of your evidence.
• Consider opposing viewpoints: Acknowledge potential counterarguments and address them within your body paragraphs. Refute counterarguments using logical and evidence-based reasoning.
• Use paragraphs for different viewpoints: If you’re discussing multiple perspectives or arguments within the same essay, dedicate separate paragraphs to each viewpoint. Clearly indicate transitions between paragraphs to maintain a coherent flow.
• Include topic sentences and transitions: Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence that clearly states the main idea. Use transitional words and phrases to guide the reader smoothly from one paragraph to the next.

Remember, in a discursive essay, the body paragraphs should explore various arguments and perspectives related to the topic, providing a balanced analysis and supporting evidence. By following these strategies, you can construct well-organized and compelling body paragraphs for your discursive essay.

Incorporating Evidence and Examples

Effectively incorporating evidence and examples is crucial in a discursive essay to support your arguments and strengthen your analysis. Here are some strategies to consider when integrating evidence:

• Choose credible sources: Gather evidence from reputable and reliable sources such as scholarly articles, books, authoritative websites, or academic journals. This ensures the validity and credibility of the evidence.
• Use a variety of evidence: Draw from a range of sources to provide a well-rounded perspective on the topic. This can include facts, statistics, expert opinions, case studies, or historical examples.
• Provide context: When presenting evidence, provide context to help the reader understand its significance. Explain the relevance of the evidence to your argument and how it supports your main points.
• Analyze and interpret evidence: Avoid simply regurgitating evidence. Instead, analyze and interpret it, explaining how it supports your argument and contributes to your overall analysis.
• Quote and paraphrase effectively: When using direct quotes, ensure they are relevant and support your argument. Use accurate paraphrasing to summarize and restate ideas from your sources.
• Cite your sources correctly: Properly cite your sources using a citation style appropriate for your academic field, such as APA, MLA, or Chicago. This gives credit to the original authors and avoids plagiarism.

By incorporating evidence and examples effectively, you can provide a solid foundation for your arguments in a discursive essay, enhancing your credibility and persuasiveness.

Addressing Counterarguments

Addressing counterarguments is an essential component of a discursive essay as it demonstrates critical thinking and strengthens your overall argument. Here are some strategies to effectively address counterarguments:

• Identify counterarguments: Identify the main counterarguments or opposing viewpoints related to your topic. This shows that you have considered different perspectives on the issue.
• Understand the counterarguments: Thoroughly analyze and understand the counterarguments before addressing them. This will help you develop a strong response based on evidence and reasoning.
• Refute the counterarguments: Present a persuasive rebuttal to counterarguments by providing evidence or logical reasoning that challenges or disproves them.
• Anticipate objections: Address potential objections or criticisms that readers might have. Proactively refute these objections by providing additional evidence or presenting alternative perspectives.
• Acknowledge validity: Recognize the validity of certain counterarguments or aspects of opposing viewpoints. This demonstrates fairness and strengthens your overall argument by showing that you have carefully considered all sides.
• Use transitional phrases: Use transitional phrases such as “however,” “although,” or “on the other hand,” to seamlessly introduce counterarguments and your responses.

By effectively addressing counterarguments, you can strengthen your own argument and demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the topic. Engaging with opposing viewpoints in a fair and persuasive manner enhances the overall credibility and impact of your discursive essay.

Concluding the Discursive Essay

Concluding your discursive essay is an opportunity to summarize your main points and leave a lasting impression on the reader. Here are some strategies to effectively conclude your essay:

• Restate your thesis statement: Begin your conclusion by restating your thesis statement in a concise and clear manner. This reminds the reader of your main argument and reinforces its significance.
• Summarize your main points: Provide a brief summary of the main points you discussed in the body paragraphs. This helps to reinforce the key arguments and evidence presented throughout the essay.
• Emphasize the significance of your argument: Highlight the importance and relevance of your argument in relation to the broader context or real-world implications. This helps to leave a lasting impact on the reader.
• Address counterarguments: Briefly acknowledge the counterarguments you addressed in the essay and reiterate why your main argument is stronger or more compelling.
• Offer a final thought or call to action: Conclude your essay by offering a final thought, reflection, or call to action that encourages the reader to further consider the topic or take action.
• Provide closure: End your conclusion by providing a sense of closure to the essay. This can be achieved by offering a conclusive statement or returning to an anecdote or example mentioned earlier in the essay.

By following these strategies, you can effectively conclude your discursive essay, leaving a strong and memorable impression on the reader while summarizing the key points and reinforcing the significance of your argument.

Sociology Research Topics Ideas

Importance of Computer in Nursing Practice Essay

History Research Paper Topics For Students

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy. We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related emails.

Latest Articles

In today’s digital era, the fusion of artificial intelligence (AI) with academic writing has revolutionized how students approach essay composition....

Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education is changing how things are taught and learned in standard ways. With its ability...

The advancement of artificial intelligence has made it increasingly common for essays and articles to be written by AI. But...

I want to feel as happy, as your customers do, so I'd better order now

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.

• AI Content Shield
• AI KW Research
• AI Assistant
• SEO Optimizer
• AI KW Clustering
• Customer reviews
• The NLO Revolution
• Press Center
• Help Center
• Content Resources
• Facebook Group

Clear Guide to Discursive Essay Structure Example

Table of Contents

College students often find discursive essays as the most challenging types of essays of all. This is because they can hardly distinguish between a discursive and an argumentative essay. Therefore, we will discuss a good discursive essay structure example in this article.

Good discursive essay topics offer an unbiased and reliable analysis of a particular issue. Without voicing a personal position, the author should present both sides of the issue. Let’s explore the structure of a good discursive essay in this post.

What Is a Discursive Essay?

A discursive essay is an academic piece of writing that conveys a topic objectively and in a balanced way. It offers the reader factual information about a certain subject and gives all sides of an argument. It is written in an unbiased way, which helps to maintain objectivity.

Therefore, discursive essays frequently need extensive research and call for more scholarly or literary sources than other sorts of essays. It means you must have a well-rounded viewpoint that accounts for opposing viewpoints.

You must be very careful when writing a discursive essay to avoid arguing for a certain point of view. Try to avoid adding your personal viewpoint to the discourse. If you begin to defend a point, your essay will turn out to be an argumentative one.

Discursive Essay Structure Example

A discursive essay has a similar format to other types of essays. It is divided into three sections: the introduction, the body paragraphs, and the conclusion. Now let’s look at the structure of a discursive essay :

Introduction

Just like any other essay, a discursive essay starts with an introductory paragraph. Make sure to begin your essay with a compelling hook that grabs the attention of the reader. You can then provide a brief explanation of the problem or issue.

You’re free to use rhetorical questions or quotations. Present both sides of the argument to your audience before summing it up. Just steer clear of stereotypes or generalizations in your essay.

Body Paragraphs

The next section of the essay is to compose the body paragraphs. Here are some key points to remember when writing the body of the essay:

• First and foremost, avoid bias. Analyze the whole picture of a problem without letting your emotions into the essay.
• Next, you must develop your argumentation. If you have multiple arguments for your viewpoint, make sure to explain them in separate paragraphs using supporting evidence. This will assist you in keeping your writing clear, logical, and understandable.
• Structure the body paragraph with alternate ideas. If your first paragraph presents evidence in favor of the paper’s thesis, the second paragraph must present evidence to the contrary. Such a set of contrasting and supporting paragraphs will give your essay a clear, well-researched impression while preserving objectivity.
• Add topic sentences and supporting details. Write a summary of the argument at the opening of the paragraph. As a result, the reader will have an easier time understanding the paragraph. You must provide evidence to prove that all your facts are genuine.

The conclusion signals that you have reached the end of your essays. This section must give an overview of whatever has been discussed in the essay body. Here are some key details to include in the conclusions:

• You should include a summary of your article’s important ideas from the body paragraphs in this section.
• You can also rationally state your viewpoint. Keep in mind that it should tie up with the evidence you provided in the body paragraphs.
• Summarize the results instead of repeating all your findings.

Wrapping Up

A discursive essay is a common writing assignment for college students, but this one is often difficult for many. Students tend to confuse a discursive essay with an argumentative one.

Note that a discursive essay provides an unbiased analysis of a topic while explaining all sides of the argument with appropriate evidence. This article discusses the general structure of a discursive essay and what to include in each paragraph.

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

Explore All Essay Outline Tool Articles

How to write a synthesis essay outline.

One of the most interesting assignments you could have is writing a synthesis essay. For a college or university student,…

• Essay Outline Tool

Learning the Structure of an Informational Essay

Academic writing assignments, primarily essays, are required of all college and university students. That’s because they think it will aid…

The Correct Way to Structure an Article

Writing non-fiction has a set format that can be followed, which makes it not all that different from writing fiction.…

Exploring the Structure of a Response Essay

You will typically be expected to write in a formal and impersonal voice when you are given the assignment of…

Writing a Persuasive Essay? Use This Structure!

Writing essays is a requirement of your academic program as a college student. Whether you love them or loathe them,…

Writing a Proposal Essay? Read This!

Are you writing a proposal essay? To write it correctly, we have to know what a proposal essay actually is.…

What are you writing about today?

Write better essays, in less time, with your ai writing assistant.

How to Write a Discursive Essay: Tips to Succeed & Examples

So, you need to accomplish your discursive essay writing. The typical questions most students ask are: How do you write it? What is discursive essay?

A discursive essay is an academic paper that involves a discussion on a particular topic. It is usually assigned to college students. You may be required to write a paper wherein you have to do one of the following:

• argue for the issue or against it;
• present your points of view on both sides;
• provide your unprejudiced opinion on that matter.

Don’t panic!

Check out the tips from  Custom-writing.org  experts below. They will assist you in discursive writing and encourage you to examine essay examples. Moreover, in this article, you’ll also learn about different types of discursive essay, and its introduction, main body, and conclusion structure.

• ❓ What Is It?
• 🏁 Main Types

Introduction

• Basic Don’Ts
• ✏️ Frequent Questions

❓ What Is a Discursive Essay?

First of all, let’s figure out what the discursive essay is.

You may think it’s similar to the argumentative essay. Yes, but there’s a difference between them in the structure and purpose of these two types of assignments:

We will take a detailed look at how to structure a discursive essay later, and now let’s find out what are the types of this assignment.

Keep reading!

🏁 Discursive Essay: Main Types

You have to think more critically and more in-depth when reviewing all viewpoints and aspects of discursive writing. Check these three main types of essay writing:

• Opinion Essay  requires the author’s opinion on an issue which is stated in the introductory paragraph. It should be clearly presented and followed by reasons and supporting examples. Also, this essay paper should contain an opposing argument that comes before the conclusion. The writer must explain to readers why the mentioned argument is considered to be unconvincing. The writer’s opinion should be restated/summarized in the conclusion.
• For and Against Essay  provides readers with a thorough debate on the topic with the help of opposing points of view. Each point should be discussed objectively and described in details. The introductory paragraph puts the issue under consideration. The main body of this essay paper should present examples, reasons, and arguments supported by justifications. The author’s own opinion with balanced reflections on the topic should be stated only in conclusion.
• Essay Suggesting Solution to a Problem  discusses problems and finds the main solutions. The introduction paragraph explicitly declares a problem and analyses its causes and consequences. The main body of the essay should offer some suggestions for a possible solution to the problem and potential state consequences or expected results. In conclusion, author’s opinion should be distinctly summarized.

📑 How to Write a Discursive Essay

Well, it’s time to talk about the structure of a discursive essay. Like most of the assignments, a discursive paper starts with an introduction and ends with a conclusion:

The first question you may ask is how to start a discursive essay introduction. Simple!

• Give your readers a hook – something that would sound interesting to them.
• Provide a short explanation of the problem. You may use quotations, as well as rhetorical questions.
• Show your readers both sides of the arguments and sum up.

You may be wondering…

Is there something I should avoid in my discursive essay introduction?

Yes. No stereotypes and generalizations, please!

The next step under formal essay writing you should take is to compose the body.

There are a few points you should remember:

• First and foremost: stay unprejudiced . Assess all of the aspects of an issue. Leave your feelings behind or for another essay type.
• Second: build your argumentation . If you have several arguments for your viewpoint—provide them in separate paragraphs. This will help you to keep your essay comprehensible and distinct. Don’t forget to submit supporting evidence.
• Third: write the body of an essay in an alternate manner. What does it mean? If your first paragraph supports the paper’s argument, then in the second paragraph you should write something in the opposite of it. Such a combination of supporting and opposite paragraphs will make your essay look apparent, and well researched. Besides, it will help you to remain neutral.
• Fourth: include topic sentences and evidence . Write a summary of the argument at the beginning of the paragraph. It will allow the reader to easier understand what the paragraph is about. Provide evidence to show that you’re not making the facts up.

Well, you’ve almost finished your writing. Now you should focus on the last section. Keep reading, and you will learn how to write a conclusion for a discursive essay.

• In the last section, you should summarize your article including the main points, specified in the body paragraphs.
• You may also logically express your opinion. Remember: it should resonate with your evidence stated in the body paragraphs.
• Don’t repeat findings, just summarize them.

Keep it short. Your conclusion length should not exceed one paragraph.

👍 Do’s and Don’ts

Do you want more discursive essay writing tips? Fine! Just check them below:

Basic Do’s of a Discursive Essay

• Write in formal, impersonal style.
• Introduce each point in a separate paragraph
• Use topic sentences for each paragraph
• Write well-developed paragraphs
• Give reasons and examples for each point
• Use sequencing
• Use linking words and phrases
• Make references to other sources and make sure that you follow proper citation style
• Identify used sources

Basic Don’Ts of a Discursive Essay

• Don’t use short forms, like I’ll, don’t, they’ve
• Don’t use informal/colloquial language, for example: old as the hills, ain’t, gonna, etc.
• Don’t use very emotional language, since it might make your discursive article look prejudiced
• Don’t use over-generalizations. Extending the features of some elements from a group more than it is reasonable will lead to generous and inaccurate conclusions.
• Don’t express your personal opinion too insistently
• Don’t refer to statistics without proper referencing (check our citation guides )
• Don’t use personal examples, leave it for a personal experience essay

Well, now you know what discursive essay means, what are its main types, and how to structure it.

Discursive Essay Topics

• Discussion of risk factors that impact human health.
• Discuss the necessity of understanding cultural heritage to provide efficient health care.
• Analyze different opinions on withdrawing patients’ treatment.
• Examine different views on the Civil War.
• Discuss what hostile emotional states are and how they impact human life.
• Discuss the meaning of metaphors used by Virgil in Aeneid .
• Describe different opinions on telehealth in nursing homes.
• The ethicality of stem cell technology.
• Explore the effectiveness of motivational interviewing .
• Discuss how people present themselves online .
• Discuss the reasons for Coca-Cola’s marketing success.
• Analyze the food safety issues and the ways to improve the situation.
• Examine the essential meaning of sleep for people’s physical and mental health.
• Explore various complications of working with groups.
• Discussion of the modern issues with virtue ethics .
• Describe different views on the definition of love .
• Give the for and against arguments considering food security technologies .
• Discuss how the concept of the American dream is presented in the film The Great Gatsby.
• Analyze the influence of family problems on children and suggest ways to improve the situation.
• Present the various points of view on the ethical concepts of Buddhism.
• Examine the attitudes towards the problem of homelessness and the suggested ways of its solution.
• Explore different opinions on the American revolution and its consequences.
• Discuss various policies and views around the globe on abortion .
• Discussion of the history of food foraging in different communities.
• Multiple thoughts on civility on the Internet .
• Analyze arguments on the effectiveness of hand sanitizers.
• Discuss the importance of visual aids in learning.
• Present and evaluate the theories of international development .
• Discuss how to prevent the spread of the West Nile Virus (WNV).
• Is embracing renewable energy sources beneficial for both environment and the global economy?
• Examine the correctness of the statement that the ideology of pleasure is the foundation of social activism.
• Discussion of the ethical dilemma of population control.
• Discuss the ethics of experimental studies .
• Analyze the topic of gun violence and gun control laws.
• Explore the reasons for opioid crises in the US.
• Give arguments for and against random drug testing.
• Discuss the problem of endangered species .
• Express your opinion on the necessity of parents to be included in children’s education .
• Present your attitude towards working in a bureaucratic organization.
• Discuss the issue of the nursing shortage and suggest a solution.
• Give different viewpoints on the definition of beauty .
• Analyze the problem of police misconduct .
• Discuss the description of violence of African people in literature.
• Examine the views on Gardner’s multiple intelligence theory .
• Describe the various opinions on mysticism and express your attitude towards it.
• Discuss the diverse standpoints on spirituality.
• Is nature protection an urgent problem?
• Analyze different ideas on physical privacy at work.
• Discussion on the Jewish heritage in nursing.
• Examine the views on the meaning of life .

Good luck with your discussions and discursive essays! Be sure to check out the articles on our blog for more academic wisdom. By the way, on the Custom-Writing website, you may find the best essay topics for your academic writing.

And don’t forget to share your opinion in the comments below.

You might also be interested in:

• Friendship Essay: Writing Guide & Topic Ideas about Friendship
• Teamwork Essay: Quick Guide on How to Write a Good Paper
• Compare and Contrast Essay Writing Tips and Examples
• Transportation Essay: Writing Tips and Brilliant Topics

✏️ Discursive Essay FAQ

There is no one definitely correct answer to this question. Like any other essay, the text should have a clear structure with an introduction, body, and conclusion. The most important thing is that the overall book needs to be cohesive, persuasive, and exciting to read.

An example of a step by step guide is:

1. Take a closer look at the topic, think about the points to cover.

2. Choose the most relevant points and compose the Body of the essay.

3. Add an appropriate Introduction and Conclusion.

To write a good conclusion, you need to have the rest of the essay finished. Does the body of your essay present well-structured points? Great, then see what you can conclude based on that. If possible, make a connection between the introduction and the conclusion.

To ensure that your essay has a perfect structure, start with creating an outline. Based on such a plan, you can present your points step by step. Your text should have a relevant introduction, several points in the main body (with examples), and a logical conclusion.

🔗 References

• Writing an Opinion Essay: Grace Fleming, ThoughtCo
• How to Write a Good Argumentative Essay: Easy Step-by-Step Guide: Master Class
• Ending the Essay: Conclusions: Harvard College Writing Center
• Academic Writing Style: University of Southern California
• Cite Your Sources: Library Guides at University of California, Santa Cruz
• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to LinkedIn
• Share to email

How to write a narrative essay? To do that, you need to know what a narrative essay is. It is an academic text usually written as a story and containing all the usual elements of a story. Narrative essays are often personal, experiential, and creative. Still, they should be made...

So, you can’t wait to get into college and join a fraternity, sorority, or student union. Well, we have some incredibly useful tips and helpful information for college admission essay writing! Remember: getting into college takes more than money. And outstanding essays get you great college scholarships!

It’s not hard to see why Americanism is one of the most popular essay topics. The concept of Americanism is in the center of the US identity. Writing an essay about it is an excellent way to find out more about this great country.

An art critique paper involves a comprehensive analysis and assessment of an artwork. Though this looks a bit complicated, the task doesn’t require a lot of time if you have sufficient critique writing skills. It’s an interesting assignment for students of art colleges as well as high schoolers. All you...

An article review is an academic assignment that invites you to study a piece of academic research closely. Then, you should present its summary and critically evaluate it using the knowledge you’ve gained in class and during your independent study. If you get such a task at college or university,...

Short essays answer a specific question on the subject. They usually are anywhere between 250 words and 750 words long. A paper with less than 250 words isn’t considered a finished text, so it doesn’t fall under the category of a short essay. Essays of such format are required for...

When you hear the phrase “spiritual leadership,” you probably think it’s only associated with religion. But did you know that this form of leadership can also be found in business? The book Spiritual Leadership: Moving People on to God’s Agenda by Henry and Richard Blackaby is a good starting point...

High school and college students often face challenges when crafting a compare-and-contrast essay. A well-written paper of this kind needs to be structured appropriately to earn you good grades. Knowing how to organize your ideas allows you to present your ideas in a coherent and logical manner This article by...

“If a tree falls in the forest, does it make a sound?” is one of the most debatable philosophical questions regarding observation and perception. Many tried to answer it, including the English philosopher John Locke. Do you need to explore Locke’s perspective on this question in your essay? You are on the right...

The long-standing debate surrounding abortion has many opponents and advocates. Groups known as Pro-Choice and Pro-Life argue which approach is better, with no easy solution in sight. This ethical complexity is what makes abortion a popular topic for argumentative writing. As a student, you need to tackle it appropriately. If...

What is the most important part of any essay or research paper? Of course, it’s the thesis statement—a sentence that expresses the paper’s main idea and guides the readers through your arguments. But where do you place the thesis? You’ve probably answered, “in the introduction.” However, that’s not all of...

If you’re a student, you’ve heard about a formal essay: a factual, research-based paper written in 3rd person. Most students have to produce dozens of them during their educational career.  Writing a formal essay may not be the easiest task. But fear not: our custom-writing team is here to guide...

It’s very helpful!

it’s a good site to learn from. However, it will be perfect if there is a small essay to clear the mess understanding from the advice

This was so helpful , thank you God bless you

Very good site,thank so much for your effort in writing the posts.

thank you my n word 👨🏿‍🦳

thank you so much!!!! is there any way to access an annotated example to help?

Thank you so much. That really helped me with writing my essay.

thanku so much for increasing my knowledge

Thank you. It was really helpful. It has answered all my questions.

Advertisement

Supported by

A.I.’s Black Boxes Just Got a Little Less Mysterious

Researchers at the A.I. company Anthropic claim to have found clues about the inner workings of large language models, possibly helping to prevent their misuse and to curb their potential threats.

• Share full article

By Kevin Roose

Reporting from San Francisco

One of the weirder, more unnerving things about today’s leading artificial intelligence systems is that nobody — not even the people who build them — really knows how the systems work.

That’s because large language models, the type of A.I. systems that power ChatGPT and other popular chatbots, are not programmed line by line by human engineers, as conventional computer programs are.

Instead, these systems essentially learn on their own, by ingesting vast amounts of data and identifying patterns and relationships in language, then using that knowledge to predict the next words in a sequence.

One consequence of building A.I. systems this way is that it’s difficult to reverse-engineer them or to fix problems by identifying specific bugs in the code. Right now, if a user types “Which American city has the best food?” and a chatbot responds with “Tokyo,” there’s no real way of understanding why the model made that error, or why the next person who asks may receive a different answer.

And when large language models do misbehave or go off the rails, nobody can really explain why. (I encountered this problem last year when a Bing chatbot acted in an unhinged way during an interaction with me. Not even top executives at Microsoft could tell me with any certainty what had gone wrong.)

The inscrutability of large language models is not just an annoyance but a major reason some researchers fear that powerful A.I. systems could eventually become a threat to humanity.

After all, if we can’t understand what’s happening inside these models, how will we know if they can be used to create novel bioweapons, spread political propaganda or write malicious computer code for cyberattacks? If powerful A.I. systems start to disobey or deceive us, how can we stop them if we can’t understand what’s causing that behavior in the first place?

To address these problems, a small subfield of A.I. research known as “mechanistic interpretability” has spent years trying to peer inside the guts of A.I. language models. The work has been slow going, and progress has been incremental.

There has also been growing resistance to the idea that A.I. systems pose much risk at all. Last week, two senior safety researchers at OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, left the company amid conflict with executives about whether the company was doing enough to make its products safe.

But this week, a team of researchers at the A.I. company Anthropic announced what they called a major breakthrough — one they hope will give us the ability to understand more about how A.I. language models actually work, and to possibly prevent them from becoming harmful.

The team summarized its findings in a blog post called “ Mapping the Mind of a Large Language Model .”

The researchers looked inside one of Anthropic’s A.I. models — Claude 3 Sonnet, a version of the company’s Claude 3 language model — and used a technique known as “dictionary learning” to uncover patterns in how combinations of neurons, the mathematical units inside the A.I. model, were activated when Claude was prompted to talk about certain topics. They identified roughly 10 million of these patterns, which they call “features.”

They found that one feature, for example, was active whenever Claude was asked to talk about San Francisco. Other features were active whenever topics like immunology or specific scientific terms, such as the chemical element lithium, were mentioned. And some features were linked to more abstract concepts, like deception or gender bias.

They also found that manually turning certain features on or off could change how the A.I. system behaved, or could get the system to even break its own rules.

For example, they discovered that if they forced a feature linked to the concept of sycophancy to activate more strongly, Claude would respond with flowery, over-the-top praise for the user, including in situations where flattery was inappropriate.

Chris Olah, who led the Anthropic interpretability research team, said in an interview that these findings could allow A.I. companies to control their models more effectively.

“We’re discovering features that may shed light on concerns about bias, safety risks and autonomy,” he said. “I’m feeling really excited that we might be able to turn these controversial questions that people argue about into things we can actually have more productive discourse on.”

Other researchers have found similar phenomena in small- and medium-size language models. But Anthropic’s team is among the first to apply these techniques to a full-size model.

Jacob Andreas, an associate professor of computer science at M.I.T., who reviewed a summary of Anthropic’s research, characterized it as a hopeful sign that large-scale interpretability might be possible.

“In the same way that understanding basic things about how people work has helped us cure diseases, understanding how these models work will both let us recognize when things are about to go wrong and let us build better tools for controlling them,” he said.

Mr. Olah, the Anthropic research leader, cautioned that while the new findings represented important progress, A.I. interpretability was still far from a solved problem.

For starters, he said, the largest A.I. models most likely contain billions of features representing distinct concepts — many more than the 10 million or so features that Anthropic’s team claims to have discovered. Finding them all would require enormous amounts of computing power and would be too costly for all but the richest A.I. companies to attempt.

Even if researchers were to identify every feature in a large A.I. model, they would still need more information to understand the full inner workings of the model. There is also no guarantee that A.I. companies would act to make their systems safer.

Still, Mr. Olah said, even prying open these A.I. black boxes a little bit could allow companies, regulators and the general public to feel more confident that these systems can be controlled.

“There are lots of other challenges ahead of us, but the thing that seemed scariest no longer seems like a roadblock,” he said.

Kevin Roose is a Times technology columnist and a host of the podcast " Hard Fork ." More about Kevin Roose

Explore Our Coverage of Artificial Intelligence

News  and Analysis

OpenAI said that it has begun training a new flagship A.I. model  that would succeed the GPT-4 technology that drives its popular online chatbot, ChatGPT.

Elon Musk’s A.I. company, xAI, said that it had raised $6 billion , helping to close the funding gap with OpenAI, Anthropic and other rivals.

Google’s A.I. capabilities that answer people’s questions have generated a litany of untruths and errors  — including recommending glue as part of a pizza recipe and the ingesting of rocks for nutrients — causing a furor online.

The Age of A.I.

D’Youville University in Buffalo had an A.I. robot speak at its commencement . Not everyone was happy about it.

A new program, backed by Cornell Tech, M.I.T. and U.C.L.A., helps prepare lower-income, Latina and Black female computing majors  for A.I. careers.

Publishers have long worried that A.I.-generated answers on Google would drive readers away from their sites. They’re about to find out if those fears are warranted, our tech columnist writes .

A new category of apps promises to relieve parents of drudgery, with an assist from A.I.  But a family’s grunt work is more human, and valuable, than it seems.