The use of AI-generated text within higher education has just begun, and universities are struggling with how to address the issue of AI writing tools and academic integrity. With as new as AI writing tools are, their role in academics has yet to be defined. Some educators argue schools should implement AI into instruction as it will inevitably be used by students, while others believe AI has no place in the classroom. At The News, we find that the debate is more complex.
AI tools like ChatGPT have the ability to generate text in response to almost any given prompt. For example, AI can be used for news writing and can even generate entire essays. However, AI generated text is sometimes used by students to take shortcuts on their assignments. Educators have expressed concern for this phenomena as it is a new issue to navigate. That said, schools have implemented methods for dealing with the use of AI on assignments.
Starting this semester, Murray State students may have noticed a new clause in the syllabus regarding AI and academic integrity. The clause explains that turning in assignments utilizing AI generated content is considered academic dishonesty. Turnitin, a plagiarism detector program used at the University, maintains that using AI is not necessarily defined as “plagiarism” but is academic dishonesty.
When internet search engines became readily accessible, education had to adapt to their use. Now, most students cannot participate in higher education without the internet. It is possible AI will follow a similar route and potentially play an instrumental role in academics. In fact, some educators have already begun implementing AI as a teaching tool. Still, AI tools have limitations. It can only gather so much information, and it recycles old information. It also only performs programmed functions. Thus, AI lacks creativity.
Another issue with AI is it can generate incorrect or misleading information. Without careful use, AI can fabricate information and simply reproduce whatever information has been put into it. If students rely on AI in academics, they might fail to recognize false information. Every bit of material from AI writing tools needs to be scrutinized. It is not a trustworthy source.
However, AI is built to learn. It is programmed using algorithms to collect more and more information. With time, AI will likely become a stronger tool. However, The News holds the current state of AI as unfit for public use. AI machines have much more development to do before they can be considered a reliable resource, especially in the classroom.
Additionally, not seeking answers on your own terms hinders an educational experience. The purpose of assignments is to demonstrate a student’s knowledge and educational skills. This requires turning in original work; turning in AI generated work is not demonstrative of a student’s knowledge or abilities. A robot simply can not replace brain power.
At The News, we believe AI can not serve as an effective tool for learning when it is used by students in a dishonest manner. We recognize that while AI writing tools can be useful in education, they can also be abused.
