WMU Community Discusses Use of ChatGPT for Cheating
As exams approach, universities are grappling with how to handle the use of the Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (ChatGPT) chatbot. This artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot is capable of generating human-like responses to class assignments, including essays and lines of code from a single prompt. However, such use of the chatbot is considered a violation of academic honesty at Western Michigan University (WMU).
While some students see the allure of using ChatGPT to generate assignments quickly, many universities, including WMU, have moved to block the website on their networks. However, some students are finding ways to circumvent these restrictions. The Department of Philosophy Chair at WMU, David Paul, cautions against using ChatGPT to cheat, as it can lead to a lack of competence where it is assumed to exist.
Both Paul and WMU Professor of Communication, Chad Edwards, believe that students should be educated on how to use ChatGPT ethically and competently. Edwards argues that students will be working with generative AI in the future and need to be prepared for its use.
While AI technology is constantly evolving, some universities, including WMU, view ChatGPT as an unethical tool for cheating. The chatbot's developers, OpenAI, state that it is important to always uphold integrity and academic honesty when using their technology.
As technology advances, it is important for universities to stay up-to-date on the latest advancements and ensure that students are using them in an ethical and responsible manner.
