Bayside High School

ChatGPT: Revolutionizing Education or a Threat to Learning? 

By Isabella Zegarra

You might be thinking, "What is this 'ChatGPT' thing everyone's talking about?" You may have also seen the term "AI" being thrown around in the news and wondered what the big deal is. Well, AI, or artificial intelligence, refers to the ability of a computer to complete tasks that usually require human input. ChatGPT is an AI-powered chatbot developed by OpenAI that is capable of answering a wide range of questions, engaging in conversations on various topics, and generating human-like responses.

According to an article on CBS News, titled "ChatGPT is growing faster than TikTok", ChatGPT currently averages 13 million unique visitors a day. These visitors include students who have been using ChatGPT as a tool to complete their assignments. This AI is useful for students because it saves them time on writing tedious essays and solving boring word problems. However, this raises concerns about how our current education system will be affected by artificial intelligence.

Bayside High School sophomore, Justin Yu, has used ChatGPT for inspiration in essays and believes that it saves both teachers and students time while providing higher-quality material. The implications of ChatGPT's use seem to be great for the education system, as AI-powered tools and platforms can help educators better understand their students' needs and preferences. Bayside High School English teacher, Mrs. Ormaechea, has used ChatGPT for tests, assignments, and unit plans and leverages it to make her lessons more creative. 

Bayside High School sophomore, Kimberly Santos, believes that ChatGPT can be a chance for some students to learn and understand what they are confused about since some students are scared to ask questions in school. The unique tools that AI brings seem to be overhauling the traditional education system for a more personalized and helpful approach to learning.

However, there are also concerns about the potential risks and limitations of AI in education. An article by The Guardian, "New York City schools ban AI chatbot that writes essays and answers prompts", demonstrates the impact of ChatGPT, as the tool will be forbidden across all devices and networks in New York City’s public schools due to concerns regarding the safety and accuracy of contents. According to another article by Chalkbeat New York, an NYC history teacher named Adam Stevens said, "We've trained a whole generation of kids to pursue rubric points and not knowledge, and of course, if what matters is the point at the end of the semester, then ChatGPT is a threat."

With these thoughts in mind, the Bayside High School community was asked whether ChatGPT would change education in the future. Mrs. Ormaechea said that there will be a shift in education to teaching in a different way and getting kids to think critically. If they don't make changes, fewer and fewer kids will find value in education. 

Bayside High School sophomore Tracy Zhou also mentioned that there may be a gradual incorporation of AI assistants or learning programs involving some sort of AI technology, but most of these new additions will be introduced to younger students, not necessarily high school or college students.