Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming education while making finding out more accessible but also triggering disputes on its effect.
While students hail AI tools like ChatGPT for enhancing their knowing experience, speakers are raising concerns about the growing dependence on AI, which they argue fosters laziness and undermines scholastic stability, specifically with numerous trainees unable to protect their tasks or given works.
Prof. Isaac Nwaogwugwu, a lecturer at the University of Lagos, in an interview with Nairametrics, expressed aggravation over the growing reliance on AI-generated reactions among students stating a recent experience he had.
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"I offered a task to my MBA students, and out of over 100 students, about 40% submitted the specific same answers. These students did not even know each other, however they all utilized the exact same AI tool to generate their reactions," he said.
He kept in mind that this pattern prevails amongst both undergraduate and postgraduate students however is especially worrying in part-time and programs.
"AI is a major obstacle when it comes to tasks. Many students no longer think critically-they just go online, produce answers, and submit," he added.
Surprisingly, some speakers are also accused of over-relying on AI, setting a cycle where both teachers and trainees turn to AI for benefit rather than intellectual rigor.
This debate raises critical questions about the function of AI in academic integrity and trainee development.
According to a UNESCO report, while ChatGPT reached 100 million regular monthly active users in January 2023, just one country had launched policies on generative AI since July 2023.
Since December 2024, ChatGPT had more than 300 million individuals utilizing the AI chatbot each week and 1 billion messages sent out every day around the world.
Decline of academic rigor
University speakers are significantly concerned about trainees submitting AI-generated assignments without really comprehending the material.
Dr. Felix Echekoba, a lecturer at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, expressed his concerns to Nairametrics about trainees significantly depending on ChatGPT, just to deal with responding to basic concerns when checked.
"Many students copy from ChatGPT and submit polished assignments, but when asked basic concerns, they go blank. It's frustrating because education has to do with learning, not just passing courses," he said.
- Prof. Nwaogwugwu pointed out that the increasing number of superior graduates can not be totally attributed to AI but admitted that even high-performing students use these tools.
"A first-class trainee is a first-class trainee, AI or not, but that does not indicate they do not cheat. The advantages of AI might be peripheral, however it is making trainees dependent and less analytical," he said.
- Another speaker, Dr. Ereke, from Ebonyi State University, raised a various concern that some speakers themselves are guilty of the very same practice.
"It's not just trainees utilizing AI slackly. Some lecturers, out of their own laziness, produce lesson notes, course outlines, marking plans, and even test concerns with AI without evaluating them. Students in turn utilize AI to create responses. It's a cycle of laziness and it is killing real knowing," he regreted.
Students' point of views on use
Students, drapia.org on the other hand, say AI has improved their learning experience by making academic products more reasonable and accessible.
- Eniola Arowosafe, asteroidsathome.net a 300-level Business Administration trainee at Unilag, shared how AI has actually significantly assisted her knowing by breaking down complex terms and supplying summaries of prolonged texts.
"AI assisted me comprehend things more easily, especially when handling complex topics," she discussed.
However, she remembered a circumstances when she used AI to send her project, just for her lecturer to instantly acknowledge that it was created by ChatGPT and decline it. Eniola noted that it was a good-bad result.
- Bryan Okwuba, who just recently graduated with a top-notch degree in Pharmacy Technology from the University of Lagos, securely thinks that his scholastic success wasn't due to any AI tool. He attributes his impressive grades to actively engaging by asking concerns and focusing on areas that speakers stress in class, as they are frequently reflected in exam questions.
"It's everything about being present, focusing, and using the wealth of knowledge shared by my associates," he said,
- Tunde Awoshita, a final-year marketing student at UNIZIK, confesses to sometimes copying straight from ChatGPT when facing several deadlines.
"To be truthful, there are times I copy directly from ChatGPT when I have several due dates, and I know I'm guilty of that, most times the lecturers don't get to review them, however AI has actually also helped me learn quicker."
Balancing AI's role in education
Experts believe the option lies in AI literacy
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