About this blog post
I typed the five questions in the headings below into Magic Write on Canva. The paragraphs in italics were written using AI. Following the questions, you will find my comments on GPT Zero, an AI detector. I think this could be a valuable tool for educators wanting to determine if a student has used AI.
What is AI?
AI stands for “Artificial Intelligence.” It is the science and engineering of making intelligent machines, especially computer programs. AI is a branch of computer science that deals with creating systems that can think, learn, and act like humans. AI is being used in many different areas, such as robotics, natural language processing, computer vision, and more. AI has the potential to revolutionize how we interact with technology and how we live our lives.
What are the concerns with AI?
The primary concerns with AI are related to the potential for misuse, the potential for job displacement, ethical considerations, and privacy. AI can be used for malicious purposes like spamming, creating false news, and even hacking. AI can also replace jobs, which can lead to increased unemployment and economic disruption. Ethically, AI can lead to decisions that favor certain populations over others, as well as lead to a lack of transparency in decision-making. Finally, AI has the potential to collect and store vast amounts of data, which can lead to privacy concerns.
Why are teachers concerned about students using AI?
Teachers are concerned about students using AI because they worry that it could lead to students losing the ability to think critically and solve problems independently. AI can make it easy to find the answers to questions, but it doesn’t necessarily help students understand the concepts behind the answers. This could lead to a lack of understanding and knowledge retention, which could have long-term effects on student learning. Additionally, teachers are concerned that AI could lead to students becoming too reliant on technology, which could have a negative impact on how they interact with the world around them.
What keeps students from turning in AI writing and claiming it is their own?
Teachers can ensure their students are writing their own essays by emphasizing the importance of proper citations and references. They can also encourage open dialogue with their students to gain an understanding of the student’s writing style and compare it to the essay submitted. Additionally, teachers can create essays with writing prompts that require more creative thinking and analytical skills. One of the best ways to prevent students from turning in AI-generated writing and claiming it as their own is to make sure they understand the implications of plagiarism. Educating students on the importance of citing sources and giving credit to the original authors is key to preventing this type of academic dishonesty. Additionally, having clear and comprehensive policies in place that outline the consequences of plagiarism can help discourage students from attempting to submit AI-generated writing as their own. Finally, utilizing tools like plagiarism checkers can help instructors easily identify when AI-generated writing has been submitted.
What can teachers do to be sure their students are writing their own essays and not using A1?
Teachers can ensure their students are writing their own essays by emphasizing the importance of proper citations and references. They can also encourage open dialogue with their students to gain an understanding of the student’s writing style and compare it to the essay submitted. Additionally, teachers can create essays with writing prompts that require more creative thinking and analytical skills. Finally, teachers could use software to detect plagiarism, which can help identify any essays written by AI.
So how does a teacher determine if the student has used AI on their essay?
Just like other forms of plagiarism, it is sometimes obvious a student has turned in an essay that is not indicative of the writing the student has shown in the past. AI is readily available, easy to use, and a relatively new technology that students can easily employ. Fortunately, technology can also help teachers with this dilemma. I tested the above AI writing using the free software GPTZero. The platform was built with educators in mind. The interface is simple, without a lot of bells and whistles. It is easy to use and efficient. It appears to be in an early stage, as indicated by the “Join the Product Waitlist” button at the end of the page. Still, the current version asks the user to type, paste, or choose a file to upload. After clicking a terms of service box, simply click to get results. SUPER SIMPLE!!!!
How did it work?
Within seconds, the program identified over half of the passage as likely written by AI. Sentences were highlighted if AI most likely wrote them. Of the sentences highlighted, all of them were indeed actually products of AI. However, there were other AI sentences that were not identified which had actually been computer generated. As a teacher, the plagiarism detector would have given me more than enough information to pursue the issue with the student.
Conclusions from Reading Specialty
Would I use this as an educator? Absolutely! Is it 100%? No, but what a great tool for the teacher toolbox. Edward Tian, a Princeton student, wrote GPTZero. This 22-year-old is extremely talented, and I anticipate he will continue to tweak and improve this already impressive AI detection tool.