AI and ANN in Education: Should We Ban or Embrace Them?

Today, Artificial Intelligence is all over the place. With the release of numerous artificial neural networks available for free, people have gone crazy about it. Currently, there are tools that can write human-like texts, generate images, craft videos, and even build websites. They already have millions of users across the world. And these AI-powered tools keep learning and advancing every day.

Needless to say, users have already found plenty of applications for ANN. It can be used in content creation, marketing, business, and many other spheres of our life. And of course, students also didn’t stay away from this trend and quickly found ways to leverage AI in their studies.

Students have always been looking for ways to delegate their homework. Not so long ago, they would hire professional paper writing services or coursework writers to get their tasks done and ensure high grades. However, now, they are trying to use AI for this purpose. And the big question is whether schools should embrace or ban it.

Reaction to AI in Schools Across the World

After powerful AI tools took the Internet by storm, students quickly picked up this trend. They started using tools like ChatGPT to complete their assignments. And, of course, educators across the world became seriously concerned about AI-driven cheating.

Being an undoubtedly powerful tool, ChatGPT can produce incredibly natural-looking text on nearly any topic in only a few seconds. These texts are rather hard to distinguish from human-written ones. Moreover, hundreds of teachers and researchers confirm that the quality of the produced copy is sufficient enough to impress them. Still, the use of these tools in schools has sparked an outcry across the globe.

In response to the growing issue, a number of public schools in Seattle and New York have already banned ChatGPT and other AI tools from their WiFi networks and devices. The same happened in one of the most prestigious universities in Paris—Sciences Po. And according to surveys, as many as 80-90% of educators also perceive AI as a cheating aid and oppose its use.

Cons of Using AI Tools in Education

Without any doubt, educators’ reaction to AI and ANN use by students is quite justified. There is a number of drawbacks and potential risks hidden in this phenomenon:

1. First of all, there is a very blurred line between using AI-powered tools as study assistants or cheating aid. When students hire online tutors, browse NoCramming to find expert essay writers who can provide high-quality paper samples or even use ANN for research purposes solely—that’s study aid. This way, students receive the needed academic support. But they still do a big part of the work themselves. However, when they use tools like ChatGPT to complete all their assignments from scratch, that’s more of a cheating aid.
2. Experts believe that AI-powered tools have the potential to develop an addiction. Constant use of these tools can make students uninterested in studying and make them rely on technology too much.
3. Lastly, by relying too much on AI, students can eventually reduce their own capacity for thought. Tools that can give them answers to any questions in seconds allow young people to stop thinking critically and analyzing information on their own. As a result, they can become unable to complete their assignments independently.

Academic Opportunities Offered by AI Tools

Looking at the cons can make you feel like banning AI tools is the only right solution in this situation. However, that’s also not quite true. We’re living in a technologically-advanced world. So when new technologies arise, it’s much wiser to adjust to the new reality than to ignore innovations.

With this in mind, we can say that AI-powered tools also offer a number of opportunities for changing the quality of teaching and learning.

One way to use AI to learn differently is to adapt existing assessment methods. Some educators suggest integrating more oral presentations and in-class assessments to reduce students’ possibility of cheating using these tools.

Also, according to some educators, tools like ChatGPT have the potential to become efficient and personalized tutors for every student. These tools can explain the most complicated concepts in an easy-to-understand manner. Thus, if we learn to use them the right way, they can actually help students learn better.

Lastly, with so many different ANN tools out there, teachers can also find aid in them. These tools can be used to create better, more engaging learning materials without extra effort. For example, teachers could use them to make lesson plans, presentations, etc.

The Bottom Line

Education has always been impacted by technology and innovations. It changed when calculators appeared. Then it changed with the introduction of search engines or the top paper writing services. Every innovation sparked opposition. But eventually, they all became irreplaceable tools in learning.

Thus, even though AI seems to be causing a lot of trouble now, it’s crucial that we learn to work with it and not against it. Eventually, adapting to this innovation can help us make education better.