The capabilities of most artificial intelligence (AI) models now surpass those of the average human. Easy access has led many to take shortcuts, using AI to complete complex tasks. This has become a major issue in academia, as students—who are meant to be learning—are instead using AI to finish assignments and answer questions on online examinations.
Richard Borcherds, a mathematics lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley), has addressed the issue of AI usage by eliminating homework entirely and requiring all assessments of student understanding to be conducted through in-person examinations. He noted that it has become increasingly difficult to distinguish between work produced by humans and that generated by AI; furthermore, online exams were frequently being completed with the help of AI.
In-person, offline examinations are considered the true benchmark for the abilities of students attending the course. Borcherds observed that average scores on online exams were consistently higher than those on in-person exams.
Borcherds is not the first lecturer to take such drastic measures to combat AI-assisted cheating. At Brown University in the United States, Professor Roberto Serrano mandated that examinations be taken offline last July. As a result, 18 out of 86 students dropped the course. The average score fell to 48.6%—nearly half of what it had been previously.
Meanwhile, the University of Chicago Law School has banned first-year students from using phones, tablets, or computers during class. Students are required to take lecture notes using pencil, pen, and paper. A single student is designated to transcribe the lecture notes into a digital format as the class progresses. Additionally, all examinations must be taken in-person, without access to the internet, electronic files, or software applications.
