The year is 2025. Everyone and their mother (and father, brother, and sister…) has used artificial intelligence to some degree in order to make their life simpler. I’m not here to shame you—in fact, I do believe that artificial intelligence and language learning models like ChatGPT can come in handy sometimes. There are, however, important things to keep in mind when it comes to utilizing these tools in college.

Be Aware of Each Professor’s AI Usage Policy

Some professors might actually be OK with using ChatGPT so long as you are honest and transparent about it. They might prohibit certain uses of the model while also allowing it for others. An example of this could be using ChatGPT to come up with an outline for an assignment, but not actually using it to write the assignment. Check each professor’s syllabus and talk with them individually to find out their personal policy on AI usage in their classroom.

Be Transparent

If you are going to use ChatGPT to help with research, ideas, or outlines, it is always a good idea to clear it with your professor first. I’ve noticed that ChatGPT has certain ways of writing that can be incredibly apparent to a trained eye, so if you are going to utilize the program, make sure it’s OK with your professor beforehand, and be honest if they ask questions about it.

Accuracy Not Guaranteed 

Something that you need to know about ChatGPT and other language learning models is that it is not always accurate. In fact, I would say more often than not, artificial intelligence gets it wrong. Let me give you an example. My husband, also a professor, taught a literature class this summer. The class was fully online, something I believe lead student students to feel as though they were able to get away with more AI usage than allowed. My husband assigned a novel for the class to read and then write an essay about. More than one student turned in an essay that discussed the book with more than one inaccuracy. These inaccuracies were not small, in fact, they quite literally showed without any investigation that ChatGPT was used fully to write them or at least part of them. How exactly did he know? Well, first of all, ChatGPT has not read every book. Even with the books that ChatGPT has read, it still has the capacity to get it wrong in summary. The students who use ChatGPT were turning in essays that discussed parts of the book that flat out did not happen. They also used direct quotes that didn’t exist. 

What most people don’t know, is that ChatGPT does not know everything. People also don’t realize that ChatGPT will not admit that it does not know everything unless you call it out for its inaccuracies. ChatGPT is known to “hallucinate,” aka make up information it does not readily have the answer to. The problem for you, is that if you have not read the book, you will not know the difference. 

So, does ChatGPT get things right sometimes? Yes, but more often than not, it gets things wrong and makes it clear that the work you’ve turned in is not the work you’ve done yourself.

Yes, AI Can Constitute Cheating

So you may be wondering, what happens after these students turn in an assignment that is very clearly written by artificial intelligence? A simple answer is that they receive a zero on that assignment, but some professors may also report the student to the dean for violating rules of academic integrity. Universities like Chapman take cheating allegations very seriously, and this can result in academic probation, suspension, or expulsion. While it might seem worth the risk, I can tell you that it isn’t.

Recommendations From a Professor

While it’s probably clear by now that I don’t approve of full chat GPT usage, here are some ways that I recommend utilizing the tool that can help you without compromising your learning or your grades. One of the ways that I recommend using ChatGPT is for brainstorming or idea forming and expansion. That’s gonna be especially helpful when your assignment is open-ended and you have the freedom to explore your personal interests. Let me give you an example of how I used it most recently in my current graduate program. I was assigned a research project for an animal cognition course. I could take the research anywhere I wanted. Because the project was so open-ended, I asked Chat GPT how I could utilize my particular interests in a way that makes sense for this assignment. I asked it for ideas on how to investigate social learning and behavior in Hermit crabs. Ultimately it gave me some very helpful ideas that led me in the direction of both an engaging and personally interesting research project. What I did not do, is ask ChatGPT to do the research for me. I also didn’t ask for help with the literature review which required an extensive amount of outside sources. I’ve noticed a chat GPT has a tendency to recommend sources that are either incorrect or outdated. I also never ask it for direct quotes as these are oftentimes inaccurate. I also believe the act of doing research and finding quotes for yourself is an important part of the learning process and something you will need to do throughout life, whether it be in school or in work.

Another tip I have for you is to always find the direct quotes yourself. Whether this be for research, or for an essay, you need to make sure that the quote you are using actually come from the text. Well, it might seem tempting to ask ChatGPT for its recommendations, I can guarantee you that they’re almost always incorrect. Even books that have been around for centuries have been misquoted by the app. Trust me, I’ve played around with it myself. It is always important to cross reference quotes and make sure they are accurately cited, as professors do check. Keep in mind that these professors usually know the text like the back of their hand. It’s pretty easy to spot ChatGPT writing when you’re teaching material you have taught for years.

Progress Over Perfection 

I know it can be tempting to want to turn in a “perfect” piece of writing or homework, but I promise your professor would much rather you admit that you are struggling with something and ask for help, than take the easy way out. The easy way can very easily become the hard way.

Don’t Overuse AI

One more thing I want to point out is that AI reliance is real and has actual consequences on more than just your grades. The more you rely on ChatGPT to complete simple tasks, the harder it becomes to complete them on your own. 

While it may seem like no big deal to have ChatGPT write your emails for you, something as small as penning an email is an important skill to learn and work on.

I know it can be tempting to think “well this is something I’m never gonna have to do in real-life,” but I can guarantee you that the small things will come back and be necessary eventually. ChatGPT has also been found to directly harm brain function.

A study from MIT found that AI tools can affect memory and inhibit critical thinking skills. At the end of the day, critical thinking is one of the most important takeaways from a college education.

So while it may be tempting to seek out your old friend open AI for any and every task, it’s important to remember that you are fully capable of using your own incredible brain to reach your destination. Don’t be afraid to seek help from professors, friends, tutors, or other real-human resources.

The future is bright—don’t dull your spark by relying on artificial intelligence.