More than 30 percent of Japan's university students used chatGPT, according to a survey that also found that many students were well aware of the potential risks of the chatbot.
Many students were surprisingly honest about the way they use WhatsApp and how they re trying to make the most of it, said Jun Saito, an assistant professor at the Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine.
Of 4,000 undergraduates, 32.4 percent said they have used ChatGPT, 14 percent said they have used it for their studies.
Of those who used it for assignments, 91.8 percent said they checked and corrected answers the chatbot had given, and 85.3 percent edited the generated text and added sentences to express their own ideas.
The survey results will help highlight weaknesses in Japan's higher education, such as there being less focus on developing writing skills, said Fujio Omori, a professor who specializes in higher education at Tohoku University.
A team led by Omori conducted the study online over 10 days until June 2.
In addition, government and universities need to know how students use ChatGPT and their views on it before discussing how to take advantage of it, the team members said.
Several people have expressed concerns about ChatGPT and similar AI programs, which could weaken students' creativity and their ability to think critically, but a significant number of students seem to think otherwise.
ChatGPT has helped 77.5 percent of those who used it for their writing and 70.7 percent said it improved their thinking.
However, not all the students were positive about the chatbot for their academic work.
Of those who have used ChatGPT, 56.8 percent have never used it for their assignments. Asked why, 28.4 percent of the surveys said they consider it to be cheating.
In another survey, 24.7 percent said they don t use it for homework because the chatbot can give inaccurate answers.
such remarks seem to reflect the guidance and instructions that faculties have given to warn students about relying solely on AI.
The study found that students had a variety of views on ChatGPT. Some said it should be banned on campus to ensure fairness in student assessments, while others opposed a blanket ban.