Should universities ban the use of AI tools like ChatGPT for academic writing or embrace them as mandatory skills for the future?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become the trending topic for the world. There is not a day, a sector, or a person, who goes without interacting with AI in any manner, be it as a tool or a thought. With the surge and influence of AI, universities have seen an abundance of reliability on it for multiple reasons, and one of them is for academic writing. Academic writing, when I was in university, was a process of research, analysis and writing. I remember staying up for nights, finishing a 1000-2000 word paper with multiple tabs open that included research papers, news articles, commentary, books, etc. Now, it is only a matter of a few lines that you can get all your answers in a jiffy.
AI has been a contested topic in the field of academia. On one hand, it simplifies complex topics and helps in understanding and on the other, it is used by students to write the same essays that we stayed up to write in the matter of a few minutes or hours. Many have said, and even looking around us, AI is here to stay. It is still in its early phases, and there are still extensive studies taking place to not only understand it but also how to place it in society. The contested question of whether universities should ban it or embrace it, is a crucial discussion point.
In my personal opinion, there is no use fighting AI. If what is being said of it is true (that it’s here to stay and we must use it with caution), then we should give it a chance and lend an ear. Banning it or embracing it are two extremes. There needs to be a middle ground where it does not take over academia entirely or be so far away from it that students lose out on precious skills. I surely do think that, for the time being, it should be made mandatory to learn AI skills. This can include the cautionary actions that one should take if they are to use it for academic writing. Only with awareness will one be able to ethically use AI. Now what is ethical or what is not is up to universities to discuss. But as far as my opinion can go, embrace it. It has the ability to do good.
Of course, AI functioning in itself is arguable, but once we decide to move with the tide, it can be beneficial. There is no harm in learning anything, irrespective of whether it will be of use in the future or not. There are no “useless” skills. Every skill has something to give and so, one must try and embrace it. Besides, if AI is really going to take over certain jobs, shouldn’t one be provided with an alternative route to take in case that happens? (It is already happening).
The main purpose of academic writing is to understand concepts and learn how to write in a manner that is legible not only for other academics but also for common people. If AI helps students in understanding concepts and applying that understanding in writing, it would be a wonderful outcome. I do believe, however, that there need to be checks and balances when using AI for academic writing. Plagiarism, automated and unoriginal content need to be checked thoroughly, and keep academic writing as pure as one can keep it. Do not go into the extremes of “should” or “should not.” Instead, focus on the present, embrace it with caution, and finally, understand entirely what you are learning and what you are conveying.
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