ASHE COUNTY — Fewer working-age Ashe County residents are using artificial intelligence for daily tasks, work, and education than surrounding mountain counties and Piedmont communities, according to a Microsoft AI Economy Institute report.

While Watauga County leads the state in AI usage at 42.7%, aided by Appalachian State University and a consistent incubator for young working professionals, Ashe County sits near the bottom of the state at 18.5%. Avery County (18.6%) and Mitchell County (16.4%) also scored near the bottom of the percentile rankings for AI usage, and Clay County had the lowest in the state at 13.5%, according to the report.

To measure AI adoption, Microsoft analyzed anonymous, aggregated data from its device ecosystem to observe when people engaged with AI services, without tracking the content of those interactions. Researchers then compared that activity with the total population of a given area to estimate the share of people using AI. Starting with a global view, the team narrowed the data to the national, state, and county levels, allowing them to compare adoption rates across communities.

Still, residents and AI-tech disavowals unknowingly use the technology more than they realize due to ongoing Big Tech integration as the Digital Age reaches a new pinnacle of development.

Artificial intelligence, or AI, is advanced computer-generated modeling and language programming that simulates human responses and event projection using accumulated knowledge.

AI guides search engine queries, curates social media feeds and interests using personalized algorithmic data points, provides driving directions via mobile phones and onboard pilot assistance, streamlines Netflix queue selections, and augments other existing technologies.

While AI has increased access in an analog and tactile world, the technology has also been used locally without authorization, with some educators expecting Ashe County Schools students to use it for their homework and essay writing.

Education officials suspect that some students have used ChatGPT, an open-source artificial intelligence and language platform that generates human-like text from user prompts, to complete assignments. It has also emerged as a plagiarism tool for students forging essays.

“I’ve seen some written stuff that was, “Oh my Lord.’ It sounds good, but there was no substance to it,” said School Board Member Dianne Eldreth during an earlier board meeting. “So, we’ve got to be careful that we give the students the critical skills first before we move too much into the AI, the creation part. I think it’s very important that we do that.”

An AI-learning curve could fuel local misinformation about the technology, as school officials have noted public conversations with parents about the increasing role it plays in the classroom.

AI technologies have also elicited local concerns from parents.

The parent of a Blue Ridge Elementary School student expressed her concerns to the Ashe County Board of Education on March 30 about a new mental health app that uses an artificial intelligence chat tool.

Citing similar mobile device apps that have come under scrutiny, Dr. Natasha Pennington told the school board that she’s worried that the Alongside mental health app could misdirect students to information on how to commit suicide or continue eating disorders.

Alongside is a youth-focused mental health app that offers help and tips for managing stress, anxiety, and depression, with continuous AI-assisted support through school partnerships, according to the company’s website.

Despite Ashe County’s low overall AI adoption, telecommunications initiatives and upgrades could further its local impact.

Carolina West Wireless’s network transition to Verizon could serve as a vital foundation for technology familiarity and usage by providing a consistent, high-speed, low-latency network infrastructure.

Modern data processing and expanded 5G coverage could also help existing technologies and industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, small businesses, and agriculture, according to verizon.com.

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