Generative AI: Challenges to higher education

Abstract

Generative Artificial Intelligence has rapidly expanded its footprint of use in educational institutions. It has been embraced by students, faculty, and staff alike. The technology is capable of carrying out a sustained sequence of interactive dialogs and creating reasonably meaningful text. Not surprisingly it seems to be routinely used by faculty to generate questions and assignments, by students to submit assignments and aid in self-learning, and administration to create manuals, memoranda, and policy documents. With its potential to lead to significant social innovation, tethering on the verge of becoming a disruptive technology, it seems most unlikely that it will fade away without being fully enfolded into almost all aspects of academic and pedagogical activity. While it is early to predict the exact place of this technology in education, we present thoughts to aid deliberations and give a brief review of the opportunities and challenges.