Students nationwide have become dependent on AI to finish and submit assignments on time. This has led classroom resources like Turnitin.com, a plagiarism tracker, to include AI detection as one of its features.
During a Stanford University study, where the goal was to evaluate AI users’ willingness to read AI explanations for its answers, most people trusted the results of AI systems like ChatGPT when the task was difficult for them to complete. Likewise, they were less likely to trust AI for tasks they could complete themselves according to the Stanford Center for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence.
At Woodbridge High, staff and students have discussed mixed ideas about Artificial Intelligence in the classroom.
“I think it’s good for brainstorming in drafts. But I’ve also seen enough students try to pass off their chat GPT or AI-generated work as their own,” said Wesley Banh, a world history teacher at Woodbridge High. Bahn further emphasized that AI-created work is difficult to detect, and could lead to using his “word against the student” concerning AI-generated work.
On the contrary, AI is beneficial in some situations and can be used in the classrooms to help translate tests into different languages and develop test questions. AI can also help improve society, specifically the workforce, where it can be used to efficiently get tasks done according to the Pew Research Center, which also explained how AI can be used in scenarios like criminal justice, transportation, health care, and finance.
“It is a wide-ranging tool that enables people to rethink how we integrate information, analyze data, and use the resulting insights to improve decision-making,” according to Brookings.edu.
There have been many instances where artificial intelligence has been used as a benefit, such as in reducing human error and expanding on ideas or thoughts.
“I think the biggest benefit of AI is the fact that it has made our lives significantly easier. For example, GPS is AI and that will choose the fastest route for us, Grammarly, things like grammar checkers use AI,” said Kiran Thakur, a senior at Woodbridge High.
AI is a notable assistant for many people and can be used as a resource across the world. During a recent survey “More than 70% of survey respondents [said] they believe AI will have a positive impact on benefits administration, with only 6% indicating disagreement.” AI isn’t all negative but merely resources to help move the world.
Rather than letting AI completely control our lives, Wendy Hall, a professor of computer science at the University of Southampton, explains her idea of “human-machine/AI collaboration,” which promotes the fact that humans and AI can coexist by working together to improve our society instead of letting AI completely take over and cause negative effects on humanity.
“We must understand that all domains (technological or not) have two sides: a good and a bad one. To avoid the bad one we need to…be futurists, foreseeing potential negative events and how to circumvent them before they happen. We need to…create regulations/laws (at national and international levels) to handle globally harmful situations for humans, other living beings, and the environment,” said Edson Prestes, a professor and director of robotics at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul.
Even though AI can greatly benefit the working side of things and advance our community, we should apply some rules to ensure it won’t spin out of control and create problems.
“I think the solution is to block all AI-generated apps from school. Students are not being taught anything when using AI so there’s no point in it. In society, AI shouldn’t be used either because it’s taking people’s actual words and turning them into something different. The President should be limiting AI resources and only using them when necessary,” said Zoey Vu, a freshman at Woodbridge High, who explained her take on limiting the use of AI in schools and society.
With risks of over-dependence and incorrect explanations, Artificial Intelligence should be used as a resource in health care, finance, transportation, education, and even journalism among many other industries but not relied on in any sectors. Multiple studies have shown that AI is not ready to replace the work of humans and should be used lightly in the classroom. Woodbridge High students should consider AI’s negative effects and stop depending on it to finish their assignments.
