Commentary: Educators shouldn’t rush to punish students based on what AI detectors say

SINGAPORE: When ChatGPT was first released, it caused a panic in the education field. Many schools and universities outlawed its use because they feared it would harm individuals ‘ ability to learn and pass accurate tests.

Yet, less than two decades on, the voice has changed dramatically. Artificial intelligence is permitted to be used in academic writing for publication under the International Baccalaureate ( IB ), and primary school teachers are incorporating ChatGPT into their assignments.

While these developments raise ethical questions, one thing is clear: excluding AI from training is like trying to stop a tsunami with a cup. Rather, we need to know how to use it.

However, recent magazines have suggested that while universities in Singapore may promote the important use of AI tools in scientific work, they may even employ AI detection technology programs like Turnitin’s AI sensor.

Although using these technologies to educate students and educators is not a problem, we must be absolutely clear with them that these tools have limitations and ca n’t serve as a justification for punishing students.

However, familiarising ourselves with the advantages and limitations of the current AI types prepares us for today’s progress. Recently, OpenAI released one of the world’s most powerful types, GPT-4o, for common usage. GPT-4o handles type in music, language and visuals, and produces powerful outputs.

These tools merely will improve with time. If we think about the second mobile phone, to the modern, effective phones of now, we can get a sense of what’s to come.