A controversial topic in education is ChatGPT, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool which can give students an unfair advantage in academics. The advanced AI has alerted educators, causing them to evaluate the level of threat it poses to the integrity of student’s work. This has caused many districts to block and set up detections in hopes of eliminating potential students’ unethical use of it. Apart from the fear of students using the AI as a work around for their homework, fear of losing jobs or loss of economic status, the conversations in both the student and teacher worlds is rampant.

Furthermore, the technology is even being used to write letters of recommendation and grade papers for teachers. According to Kevin Rose of the New York Times, one teacher used the program to evaluate a student’s paper, and admitted that “the app provided more detailed and useful information” than he would have.

The fear behind the tool is its instant and thorough responses that adapt to given prompts. Its use poses a threat to the English curriculum, where its ability to conjure up essays can be virtually indiscernible from a student’s work. But AI also challenges authentic learning in other subjects as well. Naturally, the most common thought is that the AI’s only application for students is cheating. 

Some teachers argue that AI can have positive uses in the classroom for both teacher and student. Rose argues that schools should embrace ChatGPT rather than banning it outright. Other arguments touch on the reality that with the direction technology is headed, teaching students about AI and how it can be applied is valuable knowledge.  

Regardless of the various opinions circulating about the validity of AI in education, ChatGPT is a technological breakthrough and poses new challenges and concerns for people everywhere.