This is purely my thoughts alone on the matter. Take them with a grain of salt.
I was reading Apple News the other day and Siri suggested me an article about Australian Universities going back to pen and paper after teachers and grading staff were detecting higher amounts of AI (ChatGPT, et al.) generated content in students’ essays.
After reading further, the article also expressed the universities in question actually view AI as a valuable tool to help assist students learning subjects, but do not approve of it being used to complete homework or write subjects’ essays for the student.
The news article actually was a relief to read. I’ve seen too many people going “AI BAD! AI EVIL! AI TAKE OVER WORLD!!!!11111” while frothing at the mouth and spreading conspiracy theories on social media.
If you’re going to get the AI to do the work or essay for you, you gain nothing apart from cheating yourself.
You might pass the subject with flying colours at the end of the day. However, do you really understand the subject enough to be able to do that essay by yourself without an AI doing it for you?
Personally, I think it’s a good idea that universities went back to pen and paper for some essays.
I understand that this may be a challenge to some students with motor function impairments. We can always provide a exception/workaround for students’ specific needs.
I’ve used ChatGPT for spit-balling ideas and also asked it for it’s opinion on various subjects related to game development. It gives pretty sound advice, opinions and thoughts. Would I treat it like it’s a bible? No, because the software itself says it may produce incorrect, inaccurate or wrong statements.
TL;DR
Aussie universities are clamping down on ChatGPT written essays as cheating and are pushing to bring back pen and paper essays (and by extension, maybe even exams?). Source article in question: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jan/10/universities-to-return-to-pen-and-paper-exams-after-students-caught-using-ai-to-write-essays