New York City Public Schools Block ChatGPT Over Academic Integrity Concerns
New York City's Department of Education officially bans the AI chatbot ChatGPT from school devices and networks due to worries about student learning and cheating. The district makes an exception for specific classes studying artificial intelligence.
New York City's Department of Education bans the popular artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT from all school devices and internet networks. A spokesperson for the department states that the restriction stems from concerns about negative impacts on student learning, as the tool provides quick answers without fostering critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.
The widely popular AI tool, developed by OpenAI, generates conversational and coherent responses to text prompts, leading educators to worry that students use it to cheat on essays and homework assignments. Despite the sweeping ban, New York City public schools still make ChatGPT available upon request for specific classes that focus on studying artificial intelligence.
In response to the educational blockade, an OpenAI spokesperson says the company does not want ChatGPT to be used for misleading purposes in schools or anywhere else. The AI developer is already developing mitigations to help anyone identify text generated by the system as the broader discourse about the technology's role in education continues to evolve.