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AI basics: A Human in the Loop

 

AI generated text using a picture of kids in the library.

I am currently taking a Google AI basics course and have reached the "play with generative AI" phase. A central theme of the course is the importance of a "human in the loop" approach—emphasizing human oversight and the value of an iterative process.

Questions to ask when evaluating an AI workflow

  • Is the task generative? 
    • Yes. I was tasked with creating a social media post using generative AI tools—Gemini for the text and Gemini's image generation tools for the photo.
  • Can the task be iterated on to achieve the best outcome? 
    • Yes. For the photo, the tool asked for a selfie, but I uploaded a group photo instead. The AI flagged that it wasn't a selfie, but offered to crop/isolate one person from the group.
    • For the text, once I had the image I wanted, I asked Gemini for a caption prompt. The initial output didn't quite match the mood of the photo, so I described the image in more detail and refined the request. I then selected a concise paragraph from the generated options and fed it back into Gemini to generate relevant hashtags.
  • Are there resources to provide adequate human oversight?
    • Yes. Since I am modeling this for student teachers, I need to demonstrate effective oversight. As educators, they will act as the "human in the loop" for their students until students learn to independently critique AI output for accuracy, tone, message, and length.

The AI-Collaborated Post for the photo above

As we move further into the future, the ability to research, think critically, and self-direct learning will be the ultimate superpower. The habits built today between library stacks are building the critical thinkers, innovators, and leaders of tomorrow. #raisealearner, #librarymagic, #raisingreaders

The "Aha!" Moment

Teaching writing has taught us that fluency comes through practice—even if a student starts by writing "I don't know what to write" over and over. Generative AI operates on a similar principle: it depends on fluency of thinking.

While you can start an AI prompt with "I don't know..." or "Help me brainstorm...", you get far better quality in significantly less time when you begin with a human seed—an idea, an inkling, or a clear thought of your own.

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