Bodnick's experiment suggests that AI-generated essays could potentially pass in liberal arts classes at universities, but also raises concerns about academic integrity and the future of education. She proposes a shift towards in-person, proctored exams for writing assignments to prevent AI cheating. The experiment also highlights the potential of AI to automate writing and analysis work in various professions, posing a threat to jobs in the liberal arts fields.
Key takeaways:
- A Harvard University student conducted an experiment where ChatGPT 4.0 wrote essays for her first semester of social science and humanities program, achieving a GPA of 3.57.
- The experiment revealed that while AI can produce high-quality content, it struggles with tasks requiring substance or argument, and its writing style was criticized as 'flowery'.
- The author suggests that AI's ability to generate full answers could potentially revolutionize teaching in humanities and social sciences, but also poses a significant challenge to academic integrity.
- The rise of AI could also pose a threat to various professions in the liberal arts fields, as it could potentially automate much of the writing and analysis work.