ChatGPT is an Automated Intelligence (AI) chatbot released in late November of 2022 that was designed to respond to natural text in a human-like manner. The program’s possibilities are virtually endless. It can answer questions, write essays, draft screenplays: all one has to do is type in a command, and the bot will churn out a well formulated response. The bot has also passed an MBA exam from UPenn’s prestigious Wharton business school and passed four law school courses from University of Minnesota.

Because of the program’s capabilities, many students are utilizing this tool to cheat by asking it to write essays and answer homework questions. According to a survey conducted by Study.com, “53 percent” of students have used ChatGPT to write an essay. The same study found that one in four teachers reported they caught students cheating by using the program. English teachers across the nation are concerned about the program’s implications and how it will impact their approach. If used widely by students in place of completing their actual assignments, ChatGPT could have detrimental effects on students’ learning. Their intellectual growth will be inhibited if they never learn and practice their writing skills. However, the program isn’t perfect. Despite its many abilities, the program can be biased, factually wrong, and often struggles with basic mathematical skills. According to linguist Noam Choamsky, the program’s approach “differs profoundly from how humans reason and use language,” which severely limits its effectiveness, resulting in superficial content.

Additionally, organizations are creating programs to combat cheating. For example, GPTZero is a program designed by a Princeton student to detect the use of ChatGPT. OpenAI, the program that created ChatGPT itself, has also created another program to help detect its use. But just like ChatGPT itself, the tool isn’t 100 percent perfect, and often makes errors.

Many schools have blocked ChatGPT altogether, but what if the AI was used as a tool to forward education rather than something to avoid entirely? It’s virtually impossible to stop students from accessing the program; students can use phones and other devices to access the site if they are truly dedicated, which is why the technology should be embraced for certain measures, but not for writing entire essays. ChatGPT can formulate flash card questions from an article to assist in studying. It can help students understand the components that go into outlining essays, and provide insightful feedback on already written essays. Teachers can also use it to analyze critical thinking exercises and to create quizzes to assess students. The Talon believes that as technology advances, students and staff should embrace the developments and use them constructively rather than shy away from change.