As finals inch closer, Scranton students are looking for help with their workload. For many, the go-to method is not flashcards or Quizlet: it is ChatGPT.

The use of artificial intelligence technology in classwork has been on the rise in recent years. Although it can be a useful study tool, students can also use AI to write essays and responses for them. This can help students save time but is also a form of academic dishonesty.

AI-generated essays can also be easy to identify, because the technology still is not developed enough to produce quality, college-level writing.

With the increased use of AI and the rise in academic dishonesty, it has become necessary for schools to draft new policies addressing the use of ChatGPT and other AI tools. The University of Scranton sent out an email this past month detailing its stance on AI.

In the email, the University attempted to address the use of AI from a Jesuit standpoint, urging students to use their skills of discernment to decide when and where to use AI.

ChatGPT and other forms of AI should act as “tool[s] that aid creativity, innovation, and problem-solving rather than as a substitute for reasoning and the development of the whole person,” the University said.

AI can still act as a valuable study tool. Students can use it to summarize textbook chapters, brainstorm ideas and make flashcards. Mia Davitt, a nursing major at the University, loves using ChatGPT in her writing and anatomy classes.

“I use AI to help me brainstorm ideas for my essays. It can help me get a baseline idea and then further my research. I also copy and paste my anatomy notes into ChatGPT and it helps summarize and contextualize them for me,” she said.

Despite the benefits, students should still be careful while using ChatGPT and other forms of AI. The technology is still not fully developed. It can make mistakes and provide misinformation.  

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