A chatbot uses Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to comprehend the users’ queries through text or audio input and generate responses according to them without any human involvement. This technology has become everywhere, from an AI virtual assistant in your home devices to smart technology in the workplace. One of the eminent examples of a chatbot is Chat GPT (Generative Pre-training Transformer), a natural language processing AI chatbot developed by Open AI on November 2022.
GPT is a progressive language model capable to understand and generate responses based on the human language input it receives. For instance, one can ask a simple question, and Chat GPT will generate a response according to its understanding of the information it has stored during its training phase.
Chat GPT has significant implications in numerous domains, and the responsible use of it lies in its applications and usage. Some critical aspects of Chat GPT include its use as a personal virtual assistant, content generation, research, retrieving information, and helping students in education. It has transformed daily life as well as educational and work practices. The natural language processing capabilities and the wide range of datasets enable Chat GPT to excel in various areas across numerous industries. It can produce high-quality content for social media or blog websites. This platform also has potential contributions in the educational domain by providing answers to questions, generating content, or even as a personal writing assistant to the students.
Chat GPT has revolutionized the education sector with potential applications that could facilitate students and faculty members. It is a good example to assist the student in advancing their writing abilities. Students can also learn from the suggestions it makes as well as they can improve their grammatical errors. It can also provide recommendations about the resources of a particular topic, for instance, research papers, articles, books, videos, etc. It can also generate research topics using keywords appropriate to students’ learning styles and preferences. It has revolutionized the whole education landscape; however, this technology has brought new challenges. Chat GPT has many benefits for students to help in their education. However, some students may misuse this AI assistant.
One of the most concerning misuses of using Chat GPT by students is producing plagiarized content. The optimistic use of Chat GPT, the natural language processing technology, can produce contextual, relevant, and coherent content. Regrettably, some students use this technology unethically and generate essays and assignments without proper citation, awareness, and acknowledgment. This exploitation of technology not only undermines academic honesty but also deteriorates and devalues students’ learning experiences. Students often surrender their abilities of critical thinking, research and writing skills, and intellectual growth. This also questions the credibility of educational institutes.
Some students violate the integrity of the assessment process by getting their answers from Chat GPT. In this way, students complete their academic tasks using this technology without actively participating in the brainstorming and learning processes.
Chat GPT has empowered students with loads of information in one click. However, it is the need of time to address the misuse of this technology, particularly in plagiarizing and forging content and academic dishonesty. Academia can build a healthy environment in which faculty members can guide students about the ethical use of Chat GPT by encouraging the culture of academic honesty and highlighting the appropriate use of technology. They should raise awareness about the potential risks of misusing AI technology and educate students about the capabilities and limitations of using it. They can also emphasize the importance of critical thinking and creativity of new ideas in the learning process. Institutions and faculty can enforce the plagiarism policies of the institution and the academic integrity to discourage students from using Chat GPT. There should be strict policies of institutions for students who engage in unethical practices of using AI technology; moreover, they should use software to detect AI-generated content. Faculty should encourage their students to use AI not as a replacement for human knowledge. Rather, it should be a tool to boost and expand knowledge.
It is possible to guarantee the indispensable use of AI technology by ensuring the above-mentioned measures. Students can use Chat GPT as a treasured technology for learning and problem-solving activities while considering ethical and moral standards. Safeguarding its positive and responsible use can benefit students while minimizing the challenges and risks of the technology.
The author is a student of MPhil Degree in International Relations at National Defence University Islamabad. Her areas of interest include Cyber security, International Politics of China, and Non-Traditional Security threats. She can be reached at www.linkedin.com/in/fatima-haider-awan & She Tweets @__fatimahaider