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Who’s Afraid of ChatGPT?

A recent article discusses the development of OpenAI, the organization behind ChatGPT and explores the implications of AI chatbots for higher education and the future of learning, teaching, and assessment. A chatbot is an artificial intelligence-based software application which can engage in human-like conversations. Users have the ability to inquire or request information, and the chatbot can provide a response in a matter of seconds. ChatGPT managed to accumulate a million users just five days after its first release.

Although there has been extensive discussion regarding the impact of AI on education, only a small number of peer-reviewed articles have been published on this matter. The new article in the Journal of Applied Teaching and Learning, points out that some educators have expressed concerns about ChatGPT’s potential to replace traditional assessment methods as well as its inability to evaluate the accuracy of information generated. However, the authors suggest a pragmatic approach to managing the challenges presented by ChatGPT may be more productive than resistance.

One of the primary concerns that has been raised about the use of ChatGPT is its potential to undermine the value of essays as an assessment tool. Some educators fear that students may opt to use ChatGPT to complete their written assignments, as it can generate readable text within seconds, bypassing plagiarism detection tools. These concerns, however, may be attributed to instructors' reluctance to adapt to changes in assessment methods, since written assignments are often criticized for being unengaging and ineffective in gauging students' learning. The ability to generate essays using AI technology has created challenges for educators, but some are embracing the opportunities for innovation in teaching and learning that it presents. Engaging students and instructors in shaping and utilizing AI tools to enhance learning is proposed as a better approach than prohibiting their use. In the future, these tools may become a common component of writing, similar to how calculators and computers are now integral to math and science. The potential benefits of Language Models such as ChatGPT include assisting with writing, improving search engines, and answering questions.

Currently, ChatGPT has a significant limitation in that it does not include sources and citations in its responses. While it can recommend books and explain the reasons for these recommendations, it does not provide in-text referencing or a reference list. This is a major drawback when it comes to academic assignments that require a certain number of references. However, OpenAI has developed a prototype called WebGPT, which has the ability to browse the web and access verified sources and quotations, in addition to incorporating the latest information. In the meantime, there is a GPT-3-based tool called Elicit, which markets itself as an AI research assistant that can reduce the time needed to write a literature review and research proposal. Elicit can respond to research questions and suggest academic articles, as well as provide summaries from a vast repository of 175 million scholarly papers.