Essays have been a longstanding tradition in intellectual communication. With the advent of artificial intelligence, however, the way we write essays is facing a seismic shift. The likes of ChatGPT have changed the game by allowing algorithms to churn out texts and essays. It begs the question of whether essay writing has become obsolete. The answer is complex, but the text generated by AI such as ChatGPT has not yet proven to be equivalent to a university-level student’s essay with critical thinking skills. Critical thinking remains the cornerstone of essay writing, and educators must devise ways to ensure its presence in the era of AI. The format of essays must change, and students must be tested offline. The role of the essay remains essential, serving as a tool to demonstrate understanding, analyzing and critiquing, and a manifestation of the writer’s mind and soul.
ChatGPT is a forerunner in the technological revolution and is paving the way for a new era of possibilities in written communication. It is a machine learning model that can generate human-like text and offers assistance to students in writing essays.
The essay has been an essential outlet for individuals to articulate complex thoughts, ideas, and opinions. From the elaborate prose of the Enlightenment period to the more succinct, argumentative essays of the 20th century, changes have taken place in the way people write essays. The advent of the internet birthed the blog post and made research more accessible. AI has become a tool to enhance the writing process, allowing the writer to focus on unique thoughts and ideas.
In the end, AI-generated texts do not yet match human thoughts and emotions. They offer clarity and vision, but not the deep reasoning skills required for university-level essays. The essay is still a unique form of communication that can never be completely supplanted by technology.
