Anna Greenleaf poses on campus.
Lily Reslink|Marlin Chronicle
In academic circles, mentions of ChatGPT, a type of artificial intelligence, be it negative or positive, are abundant. At university, using ChatGPT or other AI can be a violation of an honor code. Getting caught using AI, especially in essays, could lead to negative academic consequences, including expulsion and revoking a degree.
AI usage is equatable to plagiarism, and even if the AI use is cited, the sources the program may have gotten the information from cannot be given proper citation.
In my past semester at VWU, some professors have recommended using AI for class-related purposes. AI can be used for personal use, be it translating, brainstorming ideas or formatting.
However, AI should not be used for academic or work-related issues. Any usage of AI is the same as delegating work to another person with unreliable sources who is not given credit. This can lead to misinformation and laziness.
In the past, search engines have been used to cheat, and with the rise of AI, cheating has become even more of an issue. What if a medical student cheated on an exam and passed, then years down the line, gave the wrong medication to a patient because they did not learn that
information?
Although that is just a hypothetical, the danger of illegitimate academic degrees is becoming all the more real, mostly thanks to AI. I would not want to be operated on by a doctor who I know has used AI in the past. But as it stands, there is no way to know whether a diploma displayed on a doctor’s office wall was obtained legitimately or illegitimately.
Using AI to brainstorm ideas can be detrimental to humanity’s future. College students can grow complacent, and our genius could never reach its full potential. Our generation has grown tired of being told to disconnect from our devices, but there is truth in that advice.
If we continue to be immersed in whatever low-intelligence entertainment awaits us, and leave the heavy-lifting of academics to artificial intelligence, where will the challenges be to develop our minds? There is a saying that the “bachelor’s degree is the new high school diploma,” but if both of those could have been gotten illegitimately, the job market can become oversaturated with individuals who should not have been given a degree for work that is in no way theirs.
There are some so-called “AI detectors” that have rolled out, yet sometimes they are faulty and do not detect AI, and other times detect AI when it was all human-made. The truth is, AI is being advanced far faster than we can predict or contain, by programmers who are not thinking about the possible ethical quandaries that could result. I am proud of never using AI for moral reasons, but for some, a moral question may have never been raised, or may come to a different conclusion.
VWU is a liberal arts college, with many students who are interested in the visual or written arts. However, AI has been used to make art or essays that are sometimes indistinguishable from a human. Art is a fundamental part of the human experience and leads to stories of humanity being told. If AI is relied on for creative pursuits, that takes work and money away from hard-working artists.
With deep-fakes and new computer-generated videos, misinformation can spread rapidly.
Evidence for crimes never committed, lies perpetuated by political powers and atrocities
covered up could all become serious issues through artificial intelligence. These could be worst-case scenarios from AI, or they could be the near future. AI is a new tool for
humanity, just like a calculator or an atomic bomb.
AI usage is a serious issue regarding academics and occupations in the future, especially
concerning illegitimacy. Artificial intelligence presents an unprecedented moral issue that no one has answers to yet. Popular culture has drawn up AI to be anywhere from child-like to our new
evil overlords.
Yes, AI is a tool that could be used for good, but the negatives and terrible future
possibilities stemming from its unchecked growth far outweigh any benefits. Any new
technology needs to be held accountable by legal and corporate limitations, including, and
especially, AI.
Anna Greenleaf is a sophomore majoring in Chemistry with a minor in EES. She wants to succeed with the strength of her own work, not the use of an AI shortcut. Anna can be contacted at aggreenleaf1@vwu.edu.
By Anna Greenleaf
aggreenleaf1@vwu.edu
