The tl;dr answer is no. But read on if you want a longer answer.
I have a pretty strong negative opinion of the use of AI in the classroom. But I do find it fun to play around with it. So, I asked ChatGPT why one should not use AI to write a personal statement for graduate school. Here's what it said.
My comments are indented
While it's tempting to use AI to write a personal statement for graduate school, there are several reasons why you should be cautious about relying solely on AI for this important task:
This is not a good first sentence. Not only is it a run-on, but the last deictic ("this important task") is awkwardly phrased.
1) Lack of personalization: AI-generated content lacks the personal touch and genuine insight into your experiences and motivations. Admissions committees are looking for a personal connection and a sense of your individuality, which an AI may not be able to convey effectively.
Yup. That's true. Although in my recommendations about writing a personal statement, I mentioned that talking about your personal experience is not always a great idea. That said, many people do it, which is OK. HOWEVER, trying to get an AI to manufacture a personal experience for you sounds like a really bad idea.
2) Generic content: AI-generated content often tends to be generic and formulaic. A personal statement should reflect your unique experiences, aspirations, and qualities. Using AI may result in a statement that sounds like countless others, diminishing your chances of standing out.
This is basically the same point as the Lack of personalization. So, already, things are repetitive.
3) Inauthenticity: When you use AI to write a personal statement, it can come across as inauthentic, and admissions committees are skilled at detecting this. An authentic and honest portrayal of yourself is more likely to make a positive impression.
"Comes across"??? It is inauthentic. And yes, we can detect this. So, this is a pretty big understatement. (Of course, I am using AI to partially write this post, so I recognize the hypocrisy)
4) Missed nuances: AI may not capture the subtle nuances of your experiences, struggles, and aspirations effectively. Your personal statement is an opportunity to explain your journey and the lessons you've learned, and AI may not do this justice.
This is repetitive with the first two comments.
5) Ethical concerns: Using AI to write your personal statement could raise ethical concerns, as it may involve misrepresentation or dishonesty if you claim authorship of the content generated by the AI.
While this is a slightly different point to #3 (this is about ethics, while the lack of authenticity is more of a moral point), this is also repetitive.
6) Missed learning opportunity: Writing a personal statement is an important part of the application process, and it can be a valuable opportunity for self-reflection and personal growth. Relying on AI would rob you of the chance to articulate your goals, reflect on your experiences, and refine your writing skills.
OK. I love this one. It made me laugh. It makes me wonder about whether the folks at OpenAI have figured out that people are often using CHATGPT for purposes like this, and they want to guilt people. But this one isn't wrong. Writing a personal statement is a learning opportunity. If you struggle to write one, then it probably means that you're going to struggle in the graduate program. Using an AI to do it means you're not really internalizing any of the lessons of advanced study. So, OK, score one for the AI.
7) Risk of errors: AI, while advanced, is not infallible. It may produce errors, awkward phrasing, or inappropriate content that could hurt your application.
The double negative is a pretty awkward way to phrase that content.
8) Uncertain reception: Admissions committees' attitudes toward AI-generated content can vary. Some may have policies against it, while others may view it with skepticism.
True. But it's not the easiest thing in the world to spot, particularly because it's not like your personal statements will be run through an AI detection algorithm.
9) Limited adaptability: AI may not be capable of adapting to specific program requirements or responding to unique prompts as effectively as a human writer can.
OK, also true. But as I've mentioned in my personal statement post, some of what you write will overlap, but it really does depend on the program.
10 Unpredictable outcomes: The outcomes of using AI for your personal statement are unpredictable. It's hard to anticipate how admissions committees will react to it, and it may not be worth the risk.
I'm not really sure that this is adding new information.
While AI can be a valuable tool for improving and proofreading your personal statement, it's essential to ensure that the core content is a genuine reflection of your experiences and aspirations. It's generally better to use AI as a supportive tool in the writing process, with the bulk of the content being created by you to maintain authenticity and a personal connection with the admissions committee.
Given that I wrote this post with the help of an AI - or rather, had the AI write part of it and then commented on it throughout, I can't say that AI isn't useful (for example, if you ask ChatGPT how to write R code for you, particuarly in order to graph your data, it might do a good job - at least that's what a colleague told me). But if my comments here are any indication, you might recognize that most of the text that is generated by the AI is just not good writing, and using it comes with a moral and ethical price, particularly for representing yourself as an expert in advanced study.