One hundred percent AI. That’s what the software concluded about a student’s paper in the academic program Ian Bogost directs. He wondered what does this mean? he doesnt know.
In the following article originally published at The Atlantic, Ian Bogost delves into the deep challenges faced by educator and students due to the increasing use of AI in academic settings, particuary in writing assignments.
The author highlights a case where a student’s paper was flagged as “100 percent AI” by a plagiarism-detection service named Turnitin, which has recently been updated with a new AI-detection algorithm . This raises questions about what it means to use AI for writing and whether it constitutes cheating. He explores the complexities of detecting and addressing AI cheating, as well as the impact on the relationship between professors and students.
The emergence of AI chatbots has rendered traditional cheating methods obsolete. Students can now utilize AI tools to complete assignments, which has affected the business of online tutoring services like Chegg. Plagiarism-detection services such as Turnitin have incorporated AI-detection algorithms, resulting in an increase in positive identifications of AI usage in student papers. However, the article questions the accuracy of such identifications and the difficulty in distinguishing between legitimate use and cheating.
Ian mentiones that there are positive abilities to AI tools such as: generating ideas, overcome writer’s block, rephrase paragraphs, or check grammar. However, the line between legitimate use and cheating is blurred, and Professors face the challenge of determining whether students have engaged in unethical practices or used AI tools in nuanced ways. The lack of clear policies on AI cheating further complicates the issue.
AI has made the work of the teachers feel pointless about their efforts in grading and teaching seem pointless. The existential loss described by one teacher reflects a larger transformation of the classroom and the teaching profession itself.
In conclusion, universities are facing an ongoing struggle to keep up with the rapid evolution of AI technology, and the hope is that educators will find a way to teach, and that students will continue to learn amidst these tectonic shifts.
Ian Bogost is an American academic and video game designer, most known for the game Cow Clicker. He holds a joint professorship at Washington University as director and professor of the Film and Media Studies program in Arts & Sciences and the McKelvey School of Engineering. He is also a contributing editor at The Atlantic.
