Over the last year, I have been using ChatGPT more and more to assist with regard to studying. This is also what I hear from fellow students: it is becoming increasingly helpful. This is due to the fact that ChatGPT keeps adding updates with new features and improved accuracy, as well as students gaining a better understanding of its capabilities. For instance, advanced diagram properties can be easily explained by an AI chatbot, which is something that I recently used. Anything you can think of which is relatively basic will be explained to you in a detailed and understandable way.
Moreover, writing essays or other texts has never been easier since there is unlimited inspiration available from these bots. However, several concerns raise the question of whether the active use of AI chatbots for academic purposes is a good choice in the long run.
One of the main issues with utilizing generated content by such a bot is the fact that information is gathered from various sources, without citing a source. Often, when you do ask that the service provide a source, the sources are generated as well, resulting in fake sources (Welborn, 2023). In other words, there is a high risk of plagiarism that comes with using AI chatbots.
Apart from this, it is highly questionable whether student engagement is as high when they use these bots compared to if they have to think everything through themselves. If the chatbot is consulted every time a student runs into a problem, the student is likely relying too much on the service and could develop a lack of true critical thinking (Lo, 2023).
Some argue that schools should focus on implementing the usage of the service into the programs, so students are aware of the risks that come with it (Halaweh, 2023). Personally, I think as using these services becomes more and more common, new generations are going to completely rely on them without ever trying to solve a problem by just thinking first. This could have a serious negative effect on newer generations’ academic skills. It can’t be denied that it is an exceptional tool to use for a wide range of applications, but actual problem-solving skills are not gained from relying on a service, but by trying yourself until you succeed. What do you think about this issue, especially with regard to newer generations, for whom it might seem that complete reliance on these services is normal?
Halaweh, M. (2023). ChatGPT in Education: Strategies for Responsible Implementation. Contemporary Educational Technology, 15(2), ep421. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/13036
Lo, C. K. (2023). What is the impact of CHATGPT on education? A rapid review of the literature. Education Sciences, 13(4), 410. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13040410
Welborn, A. (2023, 14 maart). ChatGPT and fake citations – Duke University Libraries blogs.
Duke University Libraries Blogs. https://blogs.library.duke.edu/blog/2023/03/09/chatgpt-and-fake-citations/#:~:text=ChatGPT%20is%20based%20on%20a,or%20write%20your%20literature%20review.
