CHATGPT; Friend or Foe? An Analysis on the Morality of A.I

Interactive. Intelligence. Wisdom. These are words usually heard when describing ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence noted for its use in educational systems around the world. Mimicking the problemsolving and decision-making capabilities of the human mind, these coded robots have now been made online, accessed quite effortlessly by students to cram essays and write last-minute reports. Will this new innovative system usher in a new perspective on assisted learning? Or will it make students dependent and slothful?

AI is more efficient, scientifically proven to account for the imperfections of the human mind. Manually finding the information in books and hardcopies pales in comparison to a quick search through Google; it takes only milliseconds yet provides millions of results. And then, AI like ChatGPT literally generates new ideas on the spot. But before we go into the details, how does AI actually work?

All A.I. stemmed from scientists studying the nervous system and applying it to code, creating input-output systems. Like your senses; when you touch a hot stove, it sends a signal to your nerves, which quickly moves your hand off so you won’t get burned. This neural-like structure is the key to near human responses from chat-based AI.

It is no doubt that ChatGPT can quickly identify areas where learners struggle and provide them with additional resources and support like results from the web, detailed lists, and websites about their search. Unlike Google, which only gives you ideas, the AI can give entire essays, math solutions, and science presentations.

But schools have been more cautious, seeing a correlation of growing cheating issues to the use of AI in schools. ChatGPT’s essays pass through plagiarism checkers with no problem, and turn lay students into professional writers and reporters with a quarter of the effort.

The problem worsens as teachers struggle to differentiate student works from AI generated responses. A professor from Texas A&M University failed an entire class on the false basis that they used AI tools to complete their assignment. And in our country, Filipino teachers have been using Facebook Reels to share strategies to check for AI in students’ work, with websites like ZeroGPT being used to detect ChatGPT responses.

AI has divided educators and students, one side praising its flexibility and endorsing it as a viable tool in education, while others believe it creates lazy students who show off more than what they actually know. In this world of advancing technology, no side is wrong or right. The morality of the tools given to us by science depend entirely on our personal values, and those values may change how our society looks at AI and assisted learning entirely.