What is A.I.?
A.I. stands for Artificial Intelligence. In a very general sense, it is a computer completing tasks that would typically require human effort. The astounding advances in A.I. have made it one of the most powerful forces in today's world. It probably impacts your daily life much more than you realize. Generative A.I. systems such as ChatGPT offer students quick help and support in every subject. However, A.I. also provides students an opportunity to practice unethical behavior in their assignments. This page will briefly discuss the presence of A.I. in your academic life, particularly in writing, and go over guidelines of academic integrity.
The use of ChatGPT is widespread among college students. This A.I. system is set up as a chat box where you can ask the computer anything and get an answer. Although it is fed with huge amounts of information, its accuracy is not consistent.
Asking ChatGPT itself about its accuracy brought the following answer: "While ChatGPT aims to be accurate and reliable, its responses should be considered as supportive rather than definitive, especially for complex or specialized topics where human expertise and multiple sources of information are essential."
This is the case with every A.I. system. You should never trust everything it gives you, especially when it comes to academics.
Even if A.I. was fully reliable, it still needs to be used in accordance with the College's policies. Whether writing a 6-page essay, a 1-page writing assignment, or even a short discussion post on Blackboard, your writing should always be yours. Using A.I. to generate any of your paper is dishonest and considered cheating, unless your teacher explicitly says otherwise. Writing assignments are supposed help you think for yourself and effectively communicate those thoughts on paper. So, using A.I. to generate topics, thesis statements, and outlines can still be considered cheating. Even if you don't ask it to write anything, you are asking it to do all the heavy brain-work for you.
The possible applications of A.I. in education are promising. Although A.I. does provide students an easy way to cheat, it can also be used in a productive and ethical way. Below are some resources discussing the future of A.I. in education.
