UnZipped
BY ZEEBA KRUSE
AI On the Rise
ChatGPT's Impact on Work and School
hat, what’s the
weather like
today?”, “Chat
GPT solve this math equation for me”, “How long can food be edible even past the expiry date?” Countless queries such as these are put into AI each day. In seconds, users receive answers that are often detailed, clear, and seemingly flawless. With this remarkable system, only a screen away, it can feel like an extra hand in your pocket, always ready with the perfect solution. But is it truly perfect?
Yet just because this tool won’t leap from your device and override its programming to take over the world does not mean its effects are any less significant. The impact on mental health and daily habits is far-reaching. Rather than being a mere supplement, AI systems are increasingly relied upon to complete entire tasks. Students now use AI to write essays from start to finish, aided by software designed to ‘humanize’ the output and evade detection by teachers (who themselves are not immune to using these tools). Complete lesson plans, homework assignments, and tests are regularly generated by AI, and this is only the beginning.
A recent Stanford study suggests that while most students are aware of their growing dependence on AI, few are willing to change their habits. One college student, who admitted to using ChatGPT to compose entire projects rather than simply checking her work, remarked, “I was getting the better grades and impressing my teachers, but my friends who weren’t [using any AI devices] were learning and understanding the material taught in class.”
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