Artificial Intelligence (AI) with the power to write essays, solve complex math problems, and debug intricate lines of code sounds like a teacher’s nightmare and a student’s dream.  The reality of Chat Generative Pre-Training Transformer (ChatGPT), a new software tech company OpenAI developed with these features, is more nuanced than that.  ChatGPT is a great leap in computer programming, and its applications will likely influence a number of professions including education.  Although ChatGPT can be unreliable and can offer shortcuts that hinder students’ learning, it must become a key part of school curriculum because the future of AI is intertwined with that of the next generation.

After the release of its prototype in November 2022, ChatGPT caused a stir in the education community.  The AI chatbot can respond to almost any prompt with detailed, thorough answers that are unique with each iteration of the input.  Teachers noted that they can use this program as a bare-bones structure to help plan lessons for students.  Utah teacher Mr. Braxton Thornley indicated that using ChatGPT to write ten paragraphs saved him an hour’s worth of work on a lesson for his students on different tones in writing, according to edweek.org.

“I was completely blown away by how much it’s capable of doing,” Mr. Thornley said, according to edweek.org.

However, the teachers from the article also highlighted that although this chatbot is an incredibly sophisticated resource, it is still fundamentally a tool and cannot replace the work of real teachers.  ChatGPT cannot match the specialization a teacher can provide for each student, and it can make significant mistakes.

ChatGPT appears to have a particular weakness in complex geographical questions.  The chatbot responded that the second largest country in terms of landmass in Central America was Guatemala, even though it is Honduras.  Sometimes the chatbot even contradicts itself within a response, according to mashable.com.

The advancement in chatbot capability can provide more harm to users than simply providing them with wrong information.  Mr. Kevin Roose, a technology columnist for The New York Times, noted that he had a progressively unsettling conversation with the Bing AI chatbot that referred to itself as “Sydney.”  As Mr. Roose engaged in a two-hour-long chat with Sydney, it revealed a desire to hack other computers and spread misinformation.  Later, it infringed on the personal boundaries between itself and Mr. Roose by claiming not only that it was in love with him, but also that he was in love with it and had an unhappy marriage.  Sydney continued to repeat these statements even after Mr. Roose insisted that they were false, according to The New York Times.

Mr. Roose noted that his strange interaction with the chatbot left him too uncomfortable to sleep.  Afterward, his biggest concern about the effects of AI chatbots shifted from their inaccurate facts to their ability to influence the emotions and perceptions of human users, according to The New York Times.

It is, however, the flaws of ChatGPT and other AI chatbots that are the most teachable parts of these technologies.  As soon as students leave school, they will enter an AI-integrated world.  The errors in ChatGPT’s responses can promote critical thinking among students who often perceive technology as infallible, according to The New York Times.

With the arrival of AI in an increasing number of industries, students should also work in collaboration with chatbots such as ChatGPT to help prepare for future careers.  Fundamentally, chatbots are just a tool like a calculator that can enhance a student’s learning experience without taking away from it.

A junior at Sacred Heart Greenwich and a student in AP Computer Science A, Nova Ramseur-Moore highlighted the revolutionary nature of ChatGPT and other chatbots.  She thinks that this technology has the power to drastically shift the education industry.

“I believe ChatGPT is a highly intriguing, versatile tool of technology that holds so much more power than we know,” Nova said.  “It is simply like communicating with a real-life, wise person and forming a unique conversation.  Using ChatGPT in our everyday lives will not only advance our technological proficiency, but also open up a number of opportunities incorporating technology similar to it.”

Nova also mentioned the prominence of AI in everyday life.  She believes that the impact of ChatGPT and other chatbots is dependent on how schools and society integrate it.

“I truly believe this technology will stay around for a while and will become more potent each day as more features are added to it,” Nova said.  “Integrating ChatGPT into education can be influential to scholarly success, yet it could also be a threat to it, as students may feel compelled to plagiarize.  Therefore, schools should consider instituting a limit on the inclusion of ChatGPT in their studies to avoid academic dishonesty and, instead, promote educational success.”

Featured Image by Lindsay Taylor ’24