We asked it to show ChatGPT. Here’s the result. AI art can try, but they don’t always understand what is being asked. Photo collage courtesy of AI Photo generator Dalle-Mini.

  “Construction has officially begun on the red stairs at San Luis Obispo High School. The project, which has been in the works for several months, aims to improve the safety and accessibility of the iconic stairway, which is a popular spot for students and staff to gather.

  According to school officials, the construction is expected to be completed within the next four months. During this time, the red stairs will be closed to students and staff. Alternative routes have been provided to ensure that everyone can continue to access the different parts of the school safely.

  The school district has been planning this renovation for several years and is excited to finally see the project come to fruition. 

  The community is also excited about the upcoming construction. Many students and staff have expressed their appreciation for the school district’s efforts to improve the safety and accessibility of the upstairs.

  The school district encourages anyone with questions or concerns about the construction to contact them directly. They also remind everyone to be mindful of the closed stairway and to use the alternative routes provided.

  In conclusion, construction has officially begun on the red stairs of San Luis Obispo High School. The project is expected to be completed within four months and is aimed at improving the safety and accessibility of the iconic stairway. The school district and the community are excited to see the project come to fruition, and the school district is encouraging anyone with questions or concerns to contact them directly.”

  Now, while the construction at San Luis Obispo High School is very real, this article was not.

Using the new AI writer tool “ChatGPT”, I was able to, quite literally, sit back and watch an artificial intelligence create an acceptable news article. 

  That is horrifying. 

  Artificial intelligence is not capable of creating entirely unique information. AI is taught through the entirety of the internet. In a particularly concerning example, a robot created by John Hopkins University, Georgia Institute of Technology, and University of Washington, had access to the internet. Afterward, they were given a chance to “pick a criminal and put it in the box”. If the technology was unbiased, it wouldn’t have chosen anyone. Because of the biases the internet pushed into the program, the robots overwhelmingly considered white men as the “good guys.”

  Online artists have criticized ChatGPT and AI photo generators, claiming that the art they have created has been passed off as “AI-created”. These AI systems are essentially taking the information they have been given. In the beginning example, I told the system to write a news article about the San Luis Obispo High School red stairs construction. With limited knowledge, the system followed a basic newspaper format, and created several random quotes, including one from the fictional principal John Smith. 

  “I’m not worried at all as an English teacher. Tests are pen and paper!” said English teacher Scott Nairne. 

  The biggest concern with the program has been the prospect that a student will be able to cheat on essays and short prompts by using the program. Students may give up and end up feeling like using AI saves time and energy on projects they sincerely don’t care about. 

  “Students who want to plagiarize, that’s ultimately their loss. Young adults, about to be in college, plagiarizing is only going to hurt you,” said English teacher Brian Moss.

  The AI system is not flawless. Not only does it rely on the internet for its answers, but it doesn’t always understand what is being asked. Dalle-Mini is a photo generating system, and the prompt “ChatGPT” confused it. It used the information accessible online, and it seems to think that it was about a cat (likely because cat in french is “Chat”).

  Another flaw in the system is great for teachers. The system is not able to replicate an individual students writing style. Teachers will be able to notice a sudden change in writing ability. 

  Not only is there a human barrier, but online AI tools have been created to determine if work was created by AI or not. With several programs, if a teacher has any doubts about the students work, they will be able to find out within minutes. 

  Yes, ChatGPT is a cool new writing tool. If used correctly, it can be a great way to brainstorm ideas, and it can be really exciting and interesting to talk to. Students using the system to cheat are failing themselves, as well as harming their future grades. 

Sources: washingtonpost.com, chatgpt.com, research.gatech.edu