School districts in the Akron area are confronting ChatGPT as students, both purposefully and inadvertently, increasing use with it. In November, ChatGPT quickly reached one million users, snaking its way up to 100 million by January. The AI technology which can complete complex homework assignments in a flash attracts students from elementary to post-graduate institutions.
Reports of student cheating has caused many school districts to develop policies for responsible use of such technology, as well as how to do their best to avoid infringing on unapproved usage. Steve Wood, Superintendent at Tallmadge City Schools, said ChatGPT has the potential to strengthen critical thinking and language skills, if used appropriately.
OpenAI released the subscription-based ChatGPT Five in March, a move that did not subjugate past issues. A mayor in Australia is suing OpenAI for falsely accusing him of financial crimes he never committed. Moreover, a renowned legal scholar has also reprehended ChatGPT for attributing baseless sexual harassment accusations to him. Such issues have urged titan entrepreneurs such as Elon Musk to apply boundaries to AI consumption.
To address the rising misuse, some colleges have partially or fully banned its use while others integrate AI into lecture room work. For example, the New York City Department of Education blocked ChatGPT from its devices, while Los Angeles and Seattle schools adopted a similar approach. Administrators in local districts are weighing the impact pros and cons of AI, and are looking towards incorporating it responsibly into the field of education. Superintendent Shelley Monachino of Springfield Local Schools deems AI technology as similar to the introduction of calculators in the 1970s.
Barberton City Schools Superintendent Jeffrey Ramnytz anticipates ChatGPT becoming a major educational component in the future. He is confident that educators can identify fraudulent works attributed to the AI program. Others like Wadsworth City Schools’ Superintendent Andrew Hill stated that a collective of 20 superintendents are discussing the matter further.
On the other hand, 30 percent of college students surveyed in January by intelligent.com reported to have used it for assignments, even though up to 75 percent were skeptical about it being cheating. ChatGPT was a new concept when the survey was conducted, with 46 percent even discovering it through the poll.
Interim Akron Public Schools Superintendent Mary Outley also expressed her commitment to consult with the district’s academics and facilities to integrate AI chatbots into the educational system. Cuyahoga Falls Superintendent Andrea Celico noted that the acceptable use and internet safety policies will be revised further. Manchester Local School District’s Superintendent Shaun Morgan, however, is hesitant to pass any policy and states that principals have made aware of the AI. Moreover, Coventry Local School District Superintendent George Fisk believes it may take some time to construct a curriculum that utilizes the modern technology productively.
OpenAI, founded by technology financier Elon Musk, is ChatGPT’s programmer and developer. OpenAI is a San Francisco-based AI research laboratory that focuses on developing safe artificial general intelligence (AGI). AGI is a hypothetical AI system with general intelligence similar to a human’s. OpenAI, with the help of its board of trustees, endeavors to set off the building of trustworthy AGI for humans’ advantage. Moreover, OpenAI aims to publicly share its research and advancements, with the goal to benefit humanity. Elon Musk himself is listed as the most influential person worldwide when it comes to artificial intelligence. This acknowledgment was given to him due to his research and work in developing sustainable artificial intelligence. Apart from his role as CEO of OpenAI, he is also the founder and CEO of Tesla, and founder of The Boring Company and Neuralink.
