Open AI causing cheating issue

Trebor Rose

Reporter/Photographer

OpenAI’s ChatGPT was released in November of 2022, resulting in an Internet phenomenon and a wave of students using ChatGPT to cheat across the US as an easier way to write essays.

Student Shamari Wear goes on Chat GPT during class.

Schools are taking steps to stop AI right now. With all these differing opinions on AI, some opposing it while others support it, AI is here to stay, though ChatGPT created a massive influx of students cheating by ChatGPT-generating essays.

“AI is just simply the easy way out,” said Mr. Yang, the head of Crete-Monee High School’s technology department.

While not too far from the truth, there’s more to this story than such a simple answer as AI just being more accessible.

“Yes, it’s the easy way out; it’s also because students are busy,” said sophomore Taggert Rose. With so much on these students’ minds, it’s expected for them to try to ease their workload with ChatGPT, especially if there’s something they do outside of school.

However, this leads to the question as to what some potential solutions are. Mr. Yang mentioned that.

“To combat the problem of AI cheating, you need to take tests in person and ban electronics,” Mr. Yang said. This is something that schools are doing to stop AI. Rose has an uncertain view on AI.

“It’s too early to tell, but AI’s growing exponentially,” Rose said. It’s very tough to say whether these measures will work later as AI starts to write more naturally through machine learning.

However, it isn’t only bad news with this technology.

“Studying, deconstruction, forcing the government to adapt to the times, and entertainment,” Rose said. These are just some of the uses AI could have. “Medical research can be sped up by AI, assuming it isn’t programmed to lean one way,” Mr. Yang said. A biased AI would end the world, as an AI could divide humanity with propaganda.

“It’s up to existing institutions on how they want to address this,” Rose said.

People in higher positions are more qualified on this matter because of their expertise in fields like technology and their desire for academic honesty. Mr. Yang stated that AI is still in its infancy.

“Right now, I think it’ll be useful shortly, though I question it later down the road,” Mr. Yang said. “We should be very cautious at this time about how we implement this technology.”