AI has quietly permeated the core assessment of academic work in Chinese universities, with a growing number of students relying on AI to complete their coursework and graduation papers. This trend, which began to gain traction this spring, has raised concerns among educators about the quality and ethics of academic writing.
The Rise of AI in Academic Writing
Since the launch of ChatGPT by OpenAI in 2022, AI tools have increasingly become a part of the academic landscape in China, particularly among the graduating class of 2024. Students now use AI to enhance their writing efficiency, especially during the busy end-of-term period. According to a recent article in Untag, many students have admitted to using AI to generate their papers, which has led to a uniformity in writing styles characterized by clichés and repetitive phrases.
Positive and Negative Impacts
AI tools can significantly streamline the research and writing process. For instance, a student in the law department, Zhou Ran, was able to revise her initial draft into a passable graduation paper with the help of AI. However, the use of AI has also raised ethical and quality concerns. AI-generated content often lacks depth and originality, tending to be filled with empty rhetoric and clichés. Professors are increasingly finding that the papers submitted contain a strong AI flavor, lacking the human touch that is expected in academic work.
Academic Integrity and AI Detection
In response to the growing reliance on AI, many universities have started to implement AI detection tools to assess the authenticity of papers. However, these tools are not without their flaws. Some students report that their papers, which were clearly written by them, were flagged as having a high AI content rate, while others with significant AI contributions were not detected. This has turned the detection process into a form of black magic, leading to frustration among students and teachers alike.
Strategies and Countermeasures
To mitigate the risks, some students have resorted to using AI to lower the detection rates, a trend that has given rise to a new market for AI rate reduction services. This has further complicated the situation, leaving both students and teachers in a state of uncertainty and confusion. For example, a student named Chen Lu found that her paper, which was clearly written by her, was initially flagged with a 28.5% AI content rate, then dropped to 26.41%, and finally rose to 27.63%. She expressed her frustration on social media, questioning the reliability of these detection tools.
Educational Reflections and Solutions
In light of these challenges, some educators are advocating for a more meaningful approach to assessment, reducing the emphasis on extracurricular assignments and instead focusing on in-class handwritten work and oral exams. Professor Wang Jingya from China University of Political Science and Law emphasized that AI cannot replace the leap of human thought and creativity, which is essential for education. She cited the example of historian Tan Yuqing’s seminal work The Eastern Jin Dynasty’s Elite Politics, which, despite its extensive use of digital resources, relied on the author’s cultural understanding and political sensitivity to provide unique insights.
Conclusion
The increasing use of AI in academic writing highlights the complex interplay between technology and education. While AI offers significant advantages in terms of efficiency and resource management, it also poses significant challenges to academic integrity and the quality of research. As the debate continues, educators and students must navigate this new landscape, balancing the benefits of AI with the need to maintain the core values of academic rigor and originality.
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