Maya Bodnick, an intern at “Slow Boring,” conducted an experiment to showcase the capabilities of OpenAI’s GPT-4 by subjecting ChatGPT to a typical freshman year at Harvard University.
Evaluating ChatGPT’s College-Level Performance
To assess ChatGPT’s abilities, Bodnick had eight professors and teaching assistants evaluate essays generated by the chatbot in response to genuine Harvard prompts. The graders were unaware of whether the essays were composed by a human or an AI, ensuring fairness.
The chatbot demonstrated remarkable performance, achieving predominantly As and Bs, with only one C, across various social science and humanities topics. This translates to a 3.34 GPA, highlighting the chatbot’s effectiveness in handling college-level coursework.
Constructive Feedback and Challenges
While the chatbot received praise for its writing skills, some graders suggested simplifying the writing style. Additionally, professors expressed reservations about the content and arguments, citing them as “consistently large and unclear.”
Generative AI in Higher Education: Impact and Controversy
The popularity of generative AI, especially since the release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, has caused disruption in higher education. The chatbot’s proficiency in completing complex assignments has led to accusations of cheating, raising ethical concerns.
Experiment Scale and Comparisons
Bodnick’s experiment stands out due to its scale and thoroughness, in comparison to similar experiments conducted at other colleges. While earlier versions of ChatGPT achieved decent grades, the current GPT-4 has shown remarkable progress.
The Challenge for Educational Institutions
The widespread use of generative AI has created an atmosphere of mistrust between some students and lecturers. To manage its rise, higher education institutions are introducing guidance and policies.
Embracing Generative AI for Educational Purposes
Educational institutions are exploring ways to incorporate generative AI tools ethically. Some colleges have integrated AI-powered writing assistants into their classrooms, guiding students on responsible usage.
Shaping the Future of AI in Education
The integration of generative AI in education is likely to continue and evolve. Collaboration between educators, students, and AI developers is crucial in finding the right balance between human ingenuity and AI support while upholding academic integrity.
