OpenAI’s new study mode for ChatGPT aims to guide students through the learning process using the Socratic method, but traditional ChatGPT and the brain rot it brings to students is just a click away.
Wired reports that as the school year approaches, OpenAI has introduced a new “study mode” for its popular ChatGPT language model, designed to discourage students from using the AI tool as a shortcut for their homework. The study mode, available to most logged-in users, including those on the free version, employs the Socratic method by rejecting direct requests for answers and instead guiding users with open-ended questions.
OpenAI claims that when ChatGPT is used as a synthetic tutor, it can significantly improve academic performance. Leah Belsky, OpenAI’s vice president of education, states, “When ChatGPT is prompted to teach or tutor, it can significantly improve academic performance, but when it’s just used as an answer machine, it can hinder learning.”
However, the effectiveness of the study mode remains uncertain, as it is just a toggle click away from ChatGPT’s main interface, which can provide direct answers and potential fabrications about any subject. This ease of access may prove challenging for younger users who are still developing their frontal lobe and may find it difficult to resist the temptation of quick answers.
While some argue that students have always had access to resources like CliffNotes to avoid engaging with course material, the immediacy and personalized nature of AI chatbots feels like an escalation of this issue. Educators have raised concerns about the continued and often secretive use of AI by students, particularly with the rise of AI-focused smartphone apps that can solve homework problems with just a snapshot.
Breitbart News previously reported on an MIT study that shows frequent use of AI chatbots has a significant impact on users’ brains, especially young people:
The results were shocking. Subjects who used ChatGPT over a few months consistently demonstrated the lowest brain engagement and underperformed at neural, linguistic, and behavioral levels. Initially, the ChatGPT group utilized the LLM to ask structural questions for their essays, but by the end of the study, they were more likely to simply copy and paste the generated content.
In contrast, the Google search engine group showed moderate brain engagement, while the “brain-only” group exhibited the strongest and most wide-ranging neural networks. These findings suggest that relying on LLMs like ChatGPT can have detrimental effects on a user’s cognitive function over time.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman compares the emergence of AI in education to the introduction of Google and calculators, viewing it as a tool that can help students “think better.” The company is currently partnering with learning experts from Stanford to study the impact of AI tools, including study mode, on learning outcomes in areas like K-12 education.
Read more at Wired here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
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