Use of AI in Schools Increases at Concerning Rate

Currently, 210 schools in OCPS are using AI for platforms and administrative tools.

As technology develops, certain aspects of life become a little easier, especially with the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI). With the sudden rise of apps like Gauth, Grammarly, and ChatGPT, it’s become scarily easy to get quick answers or information. All you have to do is make a search and the answers to any of your questions will be available in an instant. Now, these apps have become increasingly popular, but for the wrong reasons.

Instead of asking for help from teachers, students immediately pull out their phone and scan the question for quick answers. Now, the point of these apps like Gauth and ChatGPT are to help students with their work and to make studying easier, that’s why they include a step-by-step explanation on how they solved it. Most students don’t really use that feature and they just skip right to the answer so they can get a 100% on the test. AI is helpful, but it gets to a point where we don’t even have to think for ourselves anymore, we can just look it up. Some teachers feel like the lines are being blurred between cheating and just getting help, and they have become more aware of the use of AI and have now started looking at essays and assignments for it.

There was a time where AI use on assignments wasn’t a concern for teachers, but now it’s one of the first things they mention when giving out assignments. It has even gotten to a point where teachers are accusing students of AI, just because they wrote a large amount, or their work was impressive. An interview with a UHS student, Mary Nguyen, who says that she was accused of using AI resources to write an English assignment, even though it was her own work.

Shockingly, some teachers are okay with students using some of these AI resources, but only if it’s for ideas or assistance. Orange County Public Schools has officially made efforts to responsibly integrate the use of artificial intelligence in their education system. They have added AI into their curriculum so they can prepare students for the future because they believe that technology is a big part of our current lives and future.

Even though the use of artificial intelligence in schools can be used for good, it’s more common amongst students so they can cheat on tests and assignments. Hopefully, the use of these AI apps will become less frequent, but it’s not looking good right now.