AI is a hot topic right now.
A lot of shows are telling stories about the dangers of this new technology.
The Irrational Season 2 Episode 2’s Phoebe storyline set up a storyline involving AI that was more realistic and compelling than most of what’s out there.
The Irrational Season 2 Episode 2’s Phoebe Storyline Was A Logical Extension Of Her Job Change Arc
This story follows logically from what Phoebe is already dealing with. She changed jobs to protect her mental health at the end of The Irrational Season 1 but seems to be regretting that decision.
She spent most of Episode 2 bored out of her mind and was eager to get to work when a fellow graduate student asked her to give her feedback on a paper.
But the paper was to be written mostly under her new boss’s name, and no one told Phoebe she was going to be a ghostwriter. That plot twist was seriously uncool.
I’ve worked as a ghostwriter before, and there’s nothing unethical about it if all parties agree in advance and proper contracts are written, but tricking someone into participating in the project isn’t kosher.
Ironically, a big problem in academia is students using language learning models like ChatGPT to ghostwrite papers for them, but the paper Phoebe worked on was about using AI to improve customer experiences.
This was very different from most shows, which tend to showcase characters’ resistance to AI or suggest the technology is problematic.
The Irrational’s More Balanced Views of AI Fit Its Brand
It makes sense that The Irrational Season 2 Episode 2‘s Phoebe storyline would focus more on human unfairness than on problems with the tech per se.
Alec’s jam is the way emotions hijack the human brain’s ability to function.
He teaches his students about trauma triggers and confirmation bias. These principles not only help them understand how the brain works better but also hopefully equip them to make better, more logical decisions in their own lives.
A show with themes like that isn’t going to rely on inaccurate TV tropes to tell a story based on fearmongering about AI.
Will The Irrational Season 2 Episode 2’s Phoebe Storyline Address AI’s Negatives?
Although AI is mentioned in the paper that Phoebe unwittingly helped ghostwrite, and that’s not the main issue.
The problem here is that Ava and Rachel took advantage of Phoebe’s skills without telling her what they would be used for.
However, an analogy could be made with the use of AI, specifically language learning models, as there are questions about whether the way the technology was trained using published works is ethical.
Additionally, if it comes up in Alec’s class or during a case he is consulting on, this police procedural will likely explore AI’s negatives but will do so in a much fairer way than many TV shows have done so far.
AI misuse is an issue in college classrooms, so it would make sense for Alec to have to address it at some point.
He might also point out that since these applications are programmed by humans, they are subject to the same confirmation bias that we are and demonstrate that so-called AI detectors often flag human-written writing as machine-generated.
That type of lesson is entirely within Alec’s wheelhouse and would provide a different, badly needed perspective on AI, especially if the lesson was coupled with an interesting case in which technology or its misuse led to someone’s murder.
I’d also love for Kylie to get involved.
As a computer expert, she likely has a lot of knowledge about AI applications that most people don’t.
Kylie getting involved in this type of story would be an example of the changing dynamic between Kylie and Alec that Travina Springer told us would be a big part of this season.
How Might The Irrational Season 2 Episode 2’s Phoebe Storyline Proceed In The Next Few Episodes?
This story is likely to end with Phoebe returning to Alec’s team.
Working for this other professor is making her miserable, and she keeps jumping in to help Alec even though she claims she needs to stay away from him and his mysteries for her peace of mind.
Learning that Ava used her to help ghostwrite Rachel’s paper might be the last straw for her.
The Irrational Season 2 Episode 2’s Phoebe story is heading toward a final confrontation that forces Phoebe to decide whether she wants to work for Rachel anymore.
I’m glad. Phoebe’s original decision to leave was a disappointing exit, even if she is still part of the show, and that needs to be fixed as soon as possible.
It would be a great bonus if The Irrational Season 2 Episode 2’s Phoebe storyline also led to a balanced story about the use of AI in classrooms and business.
It’s about time for one that is something more than the tech being problematic or characters who hate emerging technology hating it.
Over to you, The Irrational fanatics! What do you think of this AI-related storyline?
Hit the comments with your thoughts.
The Irrational airs on NBC on Tuesdays at 10/9c and on Peacock on Wednesdays.
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