PERAI – Universities are grappling with integrating artificial intelligence (AI) tools in the classroom, as educators question the authenticity of student assignments despite supporting AI’s potential to facilitate learning, according to several observers.
Rashvin Pal Singh, group chief executive of social enterprise Biji Biji Initiative, said that while AI enables students to complete assignments and prepare presentations quickly, it raises concerns among educators over whether the work is entirely student-produced or predominantly AI-generated.
“That would be a huge challenge, and universities are quite worried because they do not know how to check their students’ (levels of) thinking and comprehension,” he said.
“They want their students to use AI, (but the question is) how they want to use it. Should they use it in a way where students are still learning (on their own), or are they using AI 100%?” he said during a forum on youths and AI hosted by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) at the Generasi Ada Idea (GEN-AI) carnival at Gravitas Business Centre yesterday.
The Generasi Ada Idea (GEN-AI) carnival featured e-sports tournaments, Muay Thai matches, booths by state agencies, Bernama, and MCMC, plus a food court. This day-long event yesterday aimed to boost public awareness of current issues, promote healthy lifestyles, and build a sense of unity among youths through its interactive programmes.
Daren Tan, chief executive of IT firm ALPHV & Developer Kaki, added his concerns that the use of AI could lead to students submitting overly similar assignments.
He encouraged students to rely less on AI tools and incorporate their own analysis and creativity into coursework.
“As humans, we need to make sure that we spend some time improving our assignments. Do more online research, add more content (in your assignments) and apply your creativity,” he advised.
With AI tools like ChatGPT gaining popularity among students for their ease of use and quick information-gathering capabilities, academic staff worry about the long-term effects of dependency on AI.
Associate Professor Ahamad Tarmizi Azizan from Universiti Malaysia Kelantan has previously cautioned that using AI tools is akin to cheating, warning that it could undermine critical thinking and weaken students’ understanding of subjects.
Similarly, Zaharom Nain, chair of the Malaysian Academic Movement (Gerak), recently told a local news portal about the potential for AI misuse among academics, citing instances where individuals might generate fake assignments or produce superficial research papers for obscure journals.
However, he stressed that AI should not be dismissed outright, noting that societies built on integrity and honesty are more likely to use technology responsibly.
The forum gathered tech industry leaders and social enterprise representatives to discuss how AI tools can benefit young people aiming to start their own businesses. They explained how AI tools can help them develop business plans and profit projections.
Additionally, the forum panelists also shared how AI plays a pivotal role in the content economy, as they explained how AI tools can be used to edit lengthy podcast episodes.
On Friday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that AI could significantly aid learning, provided students retain a culture of reading and critical thinking.
Speaking at Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM) during the “Temu Anwar” programme, he advised students against becoming entirely dependent on AI, instead encouraging its use as a tool to build upon traditional knowledge acquisition.
“You can rely on AI, but don’t abandon the basics. You have to read, learn and think critically to fully benefit from AI. Over-reliance on AI can lead to us not reading (books) anymore and finding all answers on Google. But the answers on Google are summaries and conclusions,” he said.
“What we are not doing is reading. Reading is about delving into books, seeing the entirety of thought; we don’t just take a single piece of knowledge.”
Anwar also spoke on the importance of context when interpreting AI-generated information, noting that while the information may be accurate, the context may not always align.
“It doesn’t mean that the information (from AI) is wrong, but sometimes the context isn’t right. In anything, including studying the Quran, there’s the text (content) and context, the verses, interpretation and analysis,” he explained.
AI and scams
The forum yesterday also explored the potential misuse of AI in online fraud, with popular singer and activist Ariz Ramli, who moderated the discussion, referencing data from the MCMC showing that online fraud cases have resulted in RM1.4 billion in losses in Malaysia over the last four years.
Tan highlighted the role of AI-powered deepfake technologies in financial scams, offering tips on identifying deepfakes, such as watching for unnatural eye, mouth, and body movements, unusual clothing, and backgrounds in videos. – November 3, 2024