Can ChatGPT Be Trusted As a Reliable Learning Tool?

The concept of blending education with sophisticated technology is not new. Various edTech platforms have been doing it for years but for a cost. Now, let us ask you a simple question – What would you do if all learning opportunities were condensed and made accessible for free? It is exactly what generative AI tools like ChatGPT are promising. Whether you want to learn a new language or get a crash course on astrophysics, get answers to complex science questions, or solve mathematical equations with detailed step-wise explanations – ChatGPT appears to be that one wise friend who can help with everything.

The platform’s instantaneous responses, accessibility, sleek interface, and ability to simplify complex concepts can tempt anyone into believing that ChatGPT is the go-to resource for learning anything and everything. While, no doubt, the tool is incredibly powerful, we at Delhi Public School Sushant Lok, one of the top school in Gurgaon, would like to draw your attention to a crucial yet mostly overlooked aspect of this tool – the information’s accuracy. ChatGPT’s blazing-fast responses can make everyone believe that the generated responses are 100% accurate, reliable, and updated, but this isn’t the case!

If you log into ChatGPT or any other generative AI tool, they feature a message at the bottom that reads ‘ChatGPT can make mistakes. Consider checking important information.’ It means the information you receive for your queries may or may not be accurate. The onus for checking the information’s accuracy lies entirely on the user. We don’t discount the benefits of using this tool, but using it wisely is recommended.

Today, through this blog post, we want the students as well as parents to remain aware whenever using ChatGPT or any such AI tool for information attaining purposes. The right knowledge will help you set the right foot in the world of AI learning and will also enable you to understand how ChatGPT can be a double-edged sword if trusted as a teacher.

Are You Making AI Your Mentor – Proceed with Caution!

The arrival of AI tools has affected the thought process of a lot of people. We have seen that earlier, when people used to have any doubts, their go-to source of knowledge was either books, teachers, or any adults around them. But today, instead of consulting books or humans, people simply turn to ChatGPT. The idea is that ChatGPT helps fasten the learning process.

However, the need is to keep in mind that convenience always comes at a cost! After experimenting and evaluating the tool’s capabilities in different contexts, we at Delhi Public School Sushant Lok found that ChatGPT doesn’t truly grasp the nuances of user queries, especially when it isn’t aware of the user’s knowledge gaps.

If your question prompts are imperfect, the tool may generate seemingly impressive but superficial responses that don’t serve the intended purpose. At times, the generated responses can also be incorrect. Anyone overly relying on this tool will face challenges, the biggest being believing in misinformation.

Be Aware of ChatGPT’s Glitches

AI learning can be advantageous, only if you’re aware of the tech’s potential and limitations for appropriate usage. Unlike other sophisticated tools, even ChatGPT has glitches, contributing to the hallucination factor. The thing is that ChatGPT is trained on vast internet data, some of which can be wrong too. So, the tool can sometimes spout fabricated content confidently, leaving users with a distorted picture of reality. Moreover, the tool’s reliance on data patterns can also contribute to biased responses.

Therefore, if you’re learning something important, it is best to learn it from experienced teachers or books written by subject matter experts. It will help eliminate any chances of receiving the wrong information.

The Right Way to Use ChatGPT

While there are flaws with generative AI models, they don’t necessarily make the tools unfit for learning purposes. We believe tools like ChatGPT are powerful, but their effectiveness depends entirely on how you use them. If you want to use it efficiently, always stick to the following tips:

  • Fact-check, Fact-check, and Fact-check

One of the biggest drawbacks of ChatGPT and other similar tools is they may generate fabricated content, making them unreliable in some cases. So, never blindly trust the responses and get them cross-checked with authoritative sources. Talk to your teachers or check relevant books to get the true picture. While using AI tools, use critical thinking as your superpower instead of entirely relying on AI.

  • Seek Diverse Perspectives

If you’re learning something important, always invite diverse perspectives by consulting human experts, engaging in relevant group discussions, and exploring different viewpoints offline. The broader spectrum will help you avoid falling into the trap of AI-induced bias.

  • Embrace Human Touch

No matter how much tech evolves, it can never replicate the human element of learning. A teacher’s empathy, understanding, guidance, and personalized insights will always remain valuable, so always pair it with AI for phenomenal results.

Conclusion

Sophisticated tech, like generative AI, is already shaping the world around us. So, you shouldn’t hold yourself back from leveraging its potential to your benefit. However, we at Delhi Public School Sushant Lok, ranked among the best CBSE schools in Gurgaon, recommend using it cautiously and critically to transform ChatGPT into your valuable inspiration and information resource. Remember, this tool is a supplement, not a replacement for traditional learning. So, instead of making it the only source of your knowledge, use it as a supplemental learning source to accelerate your learning process.

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