Having a Chat with AI

“Introducing the world’s most advanced language model, ChatGPT. Trained by OpenAI, ChatGPT is a powerful artificial intelligence system capable of understanding and generating human-like language with astonishing accuracy. With access to vast amounts of data and sophisticated algorithms, ChatGPT has the ability to answer complex questions, write compelling stories, and even engage in witty banter. Join us as we delve into the fascinating world of ChatGPT, exploring its capabilities and the impact it is already having on our lives.”

The paragraph above was written by an artificial intelligence (AI) system called ChatGPT. It has the ability to compose a technically accurate and subjectively sound essay to any prompt by imitating human styles of writing. It is capable of writing everything from a poem in the style of Emily Dickinson to a presidential address in the style of Abraham Lincoln. ChatGPT has extensive applications; it can write academic essays, books, song lyrics, and introductions to newspaper articles.

However, one difficulty with technology is its potential implications to the modern education system, given that a student could prompt ChatGPT to complete their work for them. Nolan Trafton, a religion teacher at BCCHS, said, “My fear with AI among students is the loss of critical thinking and problem solving. However, there are resources available to determine the originality of a document. Students must learn to use AI as a resource and not the solution.” The problem then becomes how schools learn to adapt to this emerging technology. Google rendered many rote-memorization requirements in schools obsolete. Perhaps ChatGPT will act in a similar way by eliminating busy work.

Shane Fairbanks, who teaches English, history, and film at Billings Central, presented a different perspective. “One may argue that students getting a paper written for them in 30 seconds by an AI engine benefits them, right? But how? They work less, so they can, what, spend more time on social media? They work less, so they can, what, do better in college? They work less, so they can, what, do better in that job interview for the well-paying job for which they’ve aspired?”

“AI can’t teach me how to think for myself. Students who use AI for anything from basic assignments to larger projects are depriving themselves of the opportunity to learn how to think and express themselves in an original format. You may say that AI can be used like Google to help you get quick answers to questions. AI could, in that mindset, have a greater impact on productivity in education to learn more information, more quickly. But I fear that lazy students will use it as a crutch that enables them to learn less, rather than a tool that helps them do more.”

Some teachers may not approve of the use of AI in the classroom, but that doesn’t necessarily deter students from using ChatGPT. A stressed student with an imminent writing deadline might find entering their essay prompt into ChatGPT far more convenient than staying awake until 3:00 in the morning because they procrastinated. Other students with writer’s block may utilize ChatGPT to create a template for their writing.

From Fairbanks’ perspective, it is through work that people improve; ChatGPT eliminates that. “Challenge builds character. School is, or should be, all about challenging unformed minds to learn how to think for themselves and articulate those thoughts either verbally or in written format with evidence to back up their claims. AI will have similar negative effects as those of social media—it can be a tool in the hands of some, or an addiction in the hands of a weak minded individual. If lazy students wish to be a slave to AI instead of learning how to think and write for themselves, then there is little I can do to stop them.”

Chat GPT undoubtedly has substantial implications for the current education system. However, it is artificial intelligence, not artificial creativity. And many assignments students will need to complete throughout their academic careers require creativity. For students to glean the greatest value from this new technology, educators agree that ChatGPT cannot be relied upon completely. But the question remains: how can this technology best be integrated into the classroom?