New York City schools ban access to ChatGPT over fears of cheating and misinformation

The New York City Department of Education blocked access to the artificial intelligence tool due to fears that it will hurt students' education.

The ban was due to potential negative impacts on student learning, and concerns about the safety and accuracy of content, according to a spokesman for the department.

The tool doesn't build critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, which are essential for academic and lifelong success.

A huge debate has been sparked over the potential effects of machine learning on everything from education to misinformation and the world of work after the release of a new artificial intelligence tool by Openai.

Anyone can use it.

The ability to answer questions in human-like language is a revolutionary quality. The tool is able to discuss a wide range of topics using data from the internet, but can also perform a number of linguistic tricks, such as writing in different styles and genres.

All of the most recent artificial intelligence language systems suffer from failures. Because it is trained on data from the internet, it often perpetuates biases like sexism and racism. The system is prone to making up information and presenting it in a way that is accurate.

The tool is particularly worrisome for educators due to its combination of characteristics. The software makes it impossible for students to write essays at home, according to many teachers. If you can get a job done in seconds, why bother with an assignment? It is not clear how accurate the systems will be or if students will be able to outwit them with simple alterations to the text.

It is argued that the education system will have to adapt to the appearance of this technology, just as it has done with previous disruptive technologies. New testing standards could focus more on in-person exams, for example, or a teacher could ask students to question the output of artificial intelligence systems, just as they are expected to do online.

It is likely that other education systems will ban the use of artificial intelligence in the future. Some online platforms have banned the tool because they fear it will ruin the accuracy of their websites.