Chat GPT Impacts Students Final Semester before Summer

The number of students using ChatGPT and other A.I. systems have been rising in the last year. ChatGPT launched late 2022 and this semester USD has seen students use it to write assignments. Students caught using ChatGPT for assignments or essays have received failing grades for the semester. 

Paul Formisano, Director of Writing and an associate professor of English, said these A.I. systems create a temptation for students to cheat. 

“[ChatGPT] has posed a lot of challenges for students and instructors,” Formisano said. “I think something that a lot of students don’t realize is that ‘Turn It In’ has a function that shows A.I. indication… A number of students were caught having submitted large portions, if not their entire paper, which was generated by A.I..”

The Department of Computer Science Chair, KC Santosh, said that A.I. will not be stopped in the future.

“Open A.I. is inevitable. There is no point to stop and it’s not going to stop. It’s unstoppable,” Santosh said. 

Santosh said A.I. is a tool for everyone to have and enjoy, but using it can have consequences. 

“What others see is not a beautiful world,” Santosh said. “A.I. is a double-edged sword… It’s basically how you use (A.I.) and when to use (A.I.).”

Santosh also recommends that professors and instructors start using other methods of teaching to decrease the chances of students cheating. 

“Paper and pencil are always great,” Santosh said. “Professors should not be worried about (A.I.), instead should be worried about being creative (with assignments).”

Sam Ramierez, a sophomore at USD, used ChatGPT in his freetime to test the chatbox.

“I certainly can see [ChatGPT] present a temptation [for students] to use them for homework,” Ramierez said. 

Ramierez added the advantages to using ChatGPT are writing code and emails. But he also said it’s obvious that a computer wrote it. 

“The writing done by ChatGPT is very robotic and not satisfying to read,” Rameriez said.

Instructors and professors across campus have tools to monitor assignments. Some tools to use are Chat Zero and Turn It In.