The normalisation of AI use is degrading people's academic skills.

Witnessing the pervasive nature of AI in academia has been genuinely concerning to me recently. Maybe I am behind in this conversation so do keep in mind that this is all a matter of personal opinion and observation. I am open to different takes on this.

I am aware that with things like Google and Microsoft Word that highlighting spelling errors, incorrect grammar, or looking up synonyms with just a few clicks, etc, etc have all been commonplace for a while now. However, it feels like with these new AI apps, which are largely directed at students, that these quick hacks have all been taken to a completely new level of 'lazy'.

They don't just correct your spelling, they will highlight and recommend entirely new AI-generated sentences where they think you could've worded something better. They highlight individual words and automatically recommend synonyms or more complex vocabulary. I have just unsubscribed from a 'study vlogs' type YouTuber that I've watched for a while now because she was pushing some AI software that you can just give your notes and the assignment brief/question, and it will give you a fully written response. What's crazy to me about this is that this girl was emphasising that the app is 'student friendly' and how you could 'complete all of your assignments easily and still feel accomplished about your own work'. Your OWN work.

Don't get me wrong, I know that a lot of students will always take the easy way out. Before AI it was plagiarising shit you found on Google. Before plagiarising shit you found on Google it was just copying one of your classmates work. I honestly don't mind people who are just being lazy and self-aware about it. What concerns me about this is exactly what I stated at the end of that last paragraph - there are students who genuinely believe, even with the intervention and contribution of AI, that the work is their own.

I've even seen posts online where students aren't even aware that this type of AI use is against (most) university policy. They think its only violating university policy if they just completely generated an essay using ChatGPT or something obvious like that.

Personally, I feel that even using AI in a small capacity - such as changing the wording of a few sentences that don't sound right to you, or figuring out a title for your essay/dissertation - is still irresponsible. Because the little amount of effort it takes to come up with those things yourself is valuable and a part of the skillset necessary to achieve academically on your own merit.

Anyway, rant over. Is this the common opinion? And is this becoming exhausting for lecturers, tutors, markers, teachers, etc?

Submitted April 14, 2024 at 10:55AM by cosmiccowgirl13 https://ift.tt/lCqtucp