In just two months after its release, ChatGPT has grown to 100 million active users. Interest in AI tools is growing faster than ever before. People’s perceptions of artificial intelligence are divided into two opposing camps: the first one underestimates the possibility of AI’s real impact and considers it a temporary “hype,” while the second one dramatizes the power of change, believing that AI is about to “take over the world.”
In order to use new technologies productively, it is important to have a realistic understanding of the capabilities and limitations of such tools. In this article, we will analyze what ChatGPT-like applications really are, what positive impact they have on the educational process, and how to minimize the risks that arise with the growing interest in AI among students.
About the reality
The use of artificial intelligence in the educational process is not a fantastic future but a current reality. In January, a survey was conducted among Stanford University students. According to the results, almost 20% of students have already used ChatGPT to help with homework, exams, and academic projects.
A recent survey of teachers in the United States showed that two-thirds of educators have experienced a situation where students used ChatGPT to prepare homework without their permission. This figure is undoubtedly growing every month.
Therefore, the question “Should ChatGPT be banned in the educational process?” does not make sense at the moment. Such discussions are reminiscent of the heated debates in the past about banning the use of Wikipedia in education – a waste of time.
We must understand that in real life and professional activities, people will increasingly use such applications, and it is likely to become the norm in the coming years. Therefore, the ability to use them effectively and ethically is an important skill, just like the ability to use Wikipedia responsibly.
AI ethics is a must-have of the future
On the one hand, the use of ChatGPT-like applications can reduce the spread of fraud in education related to writing assignments for money. On the other hand, new ethical challenges arise that need to be addressed now.
The results of the Stanford University survey show that students actively use ChatGPT to help generate ideas for future essays and receive instant automatic feedback on their own papers. In this context, the use of AI tools should not be condemned but rather encouraged.
However, it is obvious that it is unacceptable for students to use ChatGPT to generate ready-made essays or homework. Therefore, the first challenge facing the educational community is to inform students about the ethical norms of using AI in the educational process.
We need to explain that the use of AI tools can be useful when they help with idea generation, primary information gathering, and writing improvement. However, this does not mean that you can rely on such tools completely in your studies and future career and pass off their work as your own.