Generative AI has been on the rise for years now, particularly in the form of ChatGPT. Since its creation, ChatGPT has inspired fears that students will use the AI tool to violate academic integrity. However, teachers like Ms. Braver have actively implemented AI and encouraged its use in their curriculums. Ms. Braver had her English 2 Honors students create a podcast with the help of a variety of AI tools such as Humy.ai and NotebookLM. In this case, the use of AI could not possibly be considered cheating because the assignment was centered around it.
A Patriot Post staff member conducted a student survey to find out students’ perspectives on AI use. Not one student who responded stated they thought using AI was always cheating. However, twelve out of 24 students expressed their opinion that AI could be a tool for cheating as well as a valid resource depending on how it was used. “I think the use of AI on homework or assignments is cheating if the student uses the exact response given by the AI. However, if the student uses AI to walk them through a problem or give them ideas/structure for reference, then I think it’s a great tool to utilize,” said sophomore Arisa Porter.
Ten of the 24 students said they viewed AI as a helpful resource and not a device for cheating; two of them even stated they love AI. “I love AI, and it’s not cheating, it’s a friend,” said seventh grader Isabel Huff.
On the other hand, two students expressed their belief that AI, whether it could be used with integrity, had no place in academics; in general, five students expressed a negative view of AI. “It’s only cheating if it’s used for cheating, but using AI is always morally wrong,” said senior Khai-Hoang Nguyen.
In conclusion, opinions vary about AI within the student body. However, a majority of students believe that AI doesn’t always constitute cheating when it’s used in an academic setting. In fact, most see it as a useful resource if used correctly.
For Ms. Braver’s group podcast project, students were permitted to use AI to generate their podcast scripts. However, one particular student, sophomore Amanda Palermo, expressed her position against AI’s use in writing: “AI should never be used for any writing and creative assignments in my opinion—it’s stealing from actual artists and creators,” she said. (ChatGPT, GPT-4o, March 14, 2025)
