We’ve all seen it: the discussion board post with too many em dashes, information not found in the course materials, a voice that’s not human — but how does this AI-generated content impact students who submit original work?

Competing with Computers

When I registered for a couple of online classes, I expected to battle my proclivity for procrastinating. I feared a potential lack of accessibility to my instructors. I did not consider that I would be talking to robots in my virtual classrooms.

After only experiencing in-person learning, I never had access to the work turned in by my peers. 

I was immediately greeted by inhuman-sounding classmates who referenced information I could not find in our textbook. Here is an excerpt from a post on the first discussion board in a Sociology of Religion class I quickly dropped out of:

“Religion interfaces with sociology, society, and the individual in complex and layered ways. From a sociological perspective, religion is not just a system of beliefs about the sacred; it is also a social institution that shapes norms, values, identities, and patterns of behavior. As emphasized throughout the readings and videos in this course, religion both influences society and is influenced by it. Sociologists study religion because it helps explain how people make meaning of the world, how communities maintain cohesion, and how power, inequality, and social change are reinforced or challenged.”

I was first envious of my classmate’s academic writing style, but their reference to multiple readings and videos throughout the course raised my eyebrows; the first discussion board was based only on Chapter One of our textbook. 

I plan to major in English so writing with an authentic voice is ingrained in my morals. Developing an academic tone, learning bigger words, but also subtly incorporating personality into essays is what I aim to strengthen while in school. 

I understand becoming a stronger writer is not the goal for every student, however, an integral part of school is learning from peers. So am I meant to engage in conversations with ChatGPT in order to succeed?

Instructor Intervention

I ran the above discussion post through a simple AI detector after noticing the unnatural tone and references.

According to the detector, this post was 100% AI-generated. The instructor had only praise for this student and applauded their thorough analysis. I began running other posts through the same AI detector and found a pattern of AI-generated content. 

Regular, human submissions were scrutinized by the instructor; admittedly, the human posts were much weaker. Real people cannot compete when they are up against programs that have access to every source on the internet. 

In a world of generative AI, professors have a duty to recognize these signs. Facilitating AI use discourages students from trying because when impossible perfection is the standard, human students will always lose. 

AI-generated content in online courses will continue to increase so long as it goes unpunished. It seems even well-intentioned students concede to the thought that if you can’t beat them, join them.

Connor’s Confession 

I cannot write an article criticizing AI without acknowledging my own usage. I have run essays through AI software that checks for spelling and grammatical errors, proper citations, and correct titling. I have also used AI to find academic journals and other sources specific to a topic.

I have too much pride to generate writing, and that borderline-narcissistic pride keeps my writing my own. Preserving my voice is important, but I am not above AI assistance in my formatting. 

Myself aside, AI is everywhere. Google search results are AI-generated. Professors use AI for grading. The New York Times uses AI for headlines and article summaries. 

So when does AI stop helping productivity and begin harming others, specifically in learning environments?

Black, White, and Read All Over

The ethical line that divides AI use in academia lies in the word “generative.” 

Using AI to write something is cheating, and the content these programs offer students is plagiarized. For now, it can be that black and white. 

Instructors must look for signs of AI-generated work. It is a disservice to earnest students when individuals are not held accountable for turning in words and ideas they did not write themselves. 

This is not only about AI. This is about dishonest work undermining the value of education and making learning performative.