Artificial intelligence websites have gained much popularity, especially in the area of education. Artificial intelligence, or AI, is essentially just a simulation of real human intelligence. As of recently, more and more students use AI sites to complete their schoolwork.

   The most popular AI website by far is ChatGPT (Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer), which released in September of last year. ChatGPT has gained much popularity because of its capability to partake in long conversations with its user. 

   “As a computer science teacher, I think  [ChatGPT] is amazing and also a little scary,” Penn-Trafford computer teacher Marty Corna stated, “and also concerns me as a teacher that students will be using that to think for themselves instead of thinking on their own…. Young people want to take the path of least resistance sometimes… I would prefer that they use their head.”

   According to a study by the Social Science Research Network called “Education in the Era of Generative Artificial Intelligence,” students have specifically been using ChatGPT to write essays and complete other school assignments. This has led to many calling for the site to be banned in schools; however, some have been “developing software to detect AI generated-texts.”

   “As my area of expertise is writing…it kind of upsets me that kids wouldn’t learn to write and have something that can do it for them,” P-T assistant principal Amy Horvat stated. 

   Several schools have already placed bans on AI websites to prevent students from using them for cheating. According to the Educational Testing Service (ETS), a little under a century ago, approximately 20 percent of students allegedly cheated in school regularly, whereas now it is somewhere between 75 and 98 percent of students.

   There are some benefits to AI – it can help make processes go faster, such as boosting work efficiency or improving decision-making. Additionally, it can help identify and solve certain problems, as well as being a source of recreation. 

   Using AI in education may hold benefits for teachers, as well: accessing learning resources, keeping records or grading multiple-choice tests, or acquiring the answers to frequently asked questions. 

   As AI makes certain tasks happen faster, it can also cause people to be hacked more easily. In addition, many AI chatbots come with some form of bias “built into” their systems because of their human creators and users. It also replaces real human beings in their place of work, such as factory employees and cashiers – while it is good that humanity has found ways to speed up processes this way, it also may put people out of jobs.

   Horvat said,“I think that, eventually, there’s going to have to be a way to combat [AI websites].”

   According to WTHR, “While AI can be helpful, it might be best used as a springboard, not a source,” meaning that while it can be a useful tool to get work done faster, it is not always reliable and should not be used to replace the work that humans can do on their own.

   “I think what we need to do is, just maybe as teachers, start changing up what assignments are, and so that we can show that students do understand or maybe have them do more presentations instead of just written works,” Corna stated. “And if they want to use ChatGPT as a resource, that would be a better alternative… As young people, some get it and want to say to [others], ‘you’re only cheating yourself.’”

   According to Harvard Graduate School of Education, AI requires educators to get smarter about how they teach in order to truly take advantage of what AI has to offer.

   As stated in a Forbes article, “While AI can provide personalized learning and instant feedback, it cannot replace the human and emotional support that students need to succeed, and relying too heavily on AI-powered educational tools may impact students negatively.” 

   This information suggests that if not properly managed, AI could lead to a loss of human connection and personalized attention for students. By regularly reviewing how students are engaging and learning during school, teachers can help to ensure that AI is utilized so that it enhances education.

   “You need to leave here with lots of tools in your toolbox, so when you go somewhere, you’re intelligent and interesting to talk to and have something to offer,” Corna added. “You don’t always have your phone there to look down and prompt your conversation… You’re going to find yourself in situations where you need to just use your brain.”