AI - the end of schooling as we know it?

This week, our theme was Critical Thinking - skills that are essential for effective problem solving, decision making, and creative thinking - all part of our ethos and reflected through our Learner Qualities. So, with all that in mind, just how does Artificial Intelligence (AI) impact these skills and how are we responding to this rapidly shifting landscape at Royal High School Bath?

We have all read news articles about ChatGPT, a new level of chatbot that is able to use a large data set to provide unique answers to any user-generated question. On its release in November we heard dramatic claims about how this will be the end of homework and schooling as we know it, and we have recently had confirmation that both Microsoft and Google are working on their own versions. While much of this is hyperbole, the new technology does present both opportunities and challenges and I took the opportunity to talk to the whole school about this in assembly this week.

I began by asking the more fundamental question about what constitutes intelligence, and whether a chatbot, or by extension someone relying on one, could be said to possess intelligence even if it is artificially generated through a program. We questioned whether ChatGPT may have, along with other forms of AI, passed the Turing Test: that someone conversing with ChatGPT online may not know whether they are talking to a computer or another human. It is tempting to say yes: the technology can write fairy tales, write essays and answer questions with more fluency than was previously possible. However, closer inspection reveals the limitations of the program and its makers have admitted that it "sometimes writes plausible-sounding but incorrect or nonsensical answers." There is a clear absence of personality in the text that it produces - ChatGPT's poetry is not quite up to scratch and technology is also available which allows us to spot patterns of syntax which are hallmarks of AI-generated work.

This new technology has clear implications when it comes to considering Academic Honesty and we have updated our policy to include clauses making it clear that our definition of plagiarism is now, 'the representation of the ideas or work of another person or AI algorithms as the candidate’s own.' Teachers will take note of the process students go through to create their work, especially coursework, to ensure that we are confident the work presented is the candidates own and sources are acknowledged appropriately. Vivas and class discussions will remain ways for students to demonstrate their mastery of the material presented in their written work.

In addition to these practical steps to maintaining academic integrity and avoiding plagiarism, I drew students' attention to a thought experiment by the American philosopher John Searle known as the Chinese Room experiment. This thought experiment shows that however sophisticated computer tools become they cannot become a shortcut to knowledge as this only comes with the conscious intention to understand, and the work that it is necessary to do to achieve this.

It will be fascinating to see the new technology develop and we look forward to being able to find relevant information in a more nuanced and efficient way. Once we have a clearer understanding of the technology's capabilities and are convinced of its reliability we will be finding ways to pioneer its use as a learning tool in a controlled way in the classroom.

Finally we returned the question about what 'intelligence' means and I reminded students that education is not about memorising facts but instead about understanding, applying, interpreting, evaluating and responding to those facts: to be able to use our knowledge and work out what to do with it to improve ourselves and for the benefit of those around us. I cannot overstate importance of maintaining academic honesty at all times and invite the views of students, staff and parents about ways to prepare for a future in which AI will play an increased role.