Olivia Dunne: LSU warns students over 'academic misconduct' as star gymnast promotes AI homework tool for essay writing
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA: A Louisiana State University student and social media influencer's recent TikTok endorsement of promoting artificial intelligence to write automated assignments has prompted the college administration to issue an "academic misconduct" warning. LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne shared a post recommending Caktus AI, which promotes itself as the first educational artificial intelligence tool, to her 7.2 million followers on TikTok on Sunday, March 5.
However, the popular video caught the attention of the university, who then issued a warning to students about the usage of the AI tool in academic work, without mentioning Dunne's name. Recently, in another instance, famed photographer Jos Avery was forced to confess his breathtaking work is in fact AI-generated, previously reported MEAWW. Although, recent fascination surrounding AI tools has garnered a fair amount of critics who claim the advanced tool lacks individual ingenuity and growing concerns about its impacts on learning.
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What was Olivia Dunne's post about?
Dunne started off the promotional 10-second TikTok video with a title that read, “Need to get creativity flowing for my essay due to midnight.” The LSU student then continues the video by demonstrating the usage of the AI software which can construct a complete paragraph from keywords based on the subject.
She captions the post, "gymnastics is the hardest sport.” The video has garnered more than one million views. Dunne said Caktus AI will “provide real sources for you to cite at the end of your essays and paragraphs”.
Why is the AI homework tool so controversial?
The LSU highlighted its concerns surrounding the usage of the AI software, saying, "At LSU, our professors and students are empowered to use technology for learning and pursuing the highest standards of academic integrity,” the Baton Rouge school said in a statement, according to The Advocate. “However, using AI to produce work that a student then represents as one’s own could result in a charge of academic misconduct, as outlined in the Code of Student Conduct.”
The university noted it does not ban the usage of AI in classwork or research purpose but does not prohibit plagiarism in academic work. It defines plagiarism as the “lack of appropriate citation, or the unacknowledged inclusion of someone else’s words, structure, ideas, or data; (or) failure to identify a source”.
'The playing field has been leveled!'
Internet users also had mixed reactions to the AI tool. One user wrote on Twitter, "Academics said the same thing about calculators when they were introduced. Remember how well received Google was in the academic space back when it launched." Another added, "I don't get people who cheat. Why go to university if you're not trying to slowly aggragate skills and information. If you cheat at the basics you'll never grow and the real world will destroy you." A third mockingly said, "You don't think Trump got his degree legitimately do you?"
A fourth said, "If you want to use AI to do your homework that’s your right and your business. So long as you accept any potential consequences you may suffer from a lack of quick and critical thinking of your own throughout life. There’s no guarantee it’s always gonna be a 'Hey Siri' moment." "The universities use artificial intelligence to review our homework submissions. The playing field has been leveled," a tweet read. Another user joked, "So can I sign up for law school use AI and get a law degree."
Academics said the same thing about calculators when they were introduced. Remember how well received Google was in the academic space back when it launched.
— The Observer (@theobserver42) March 4, 2023
I don't get people who cheat. Why go to university if you're not trying to slowly aggragate skills and information. If you cheat at the basics you'll never grow and the real world will destroy you.
— prattler (@Vexed_prattler) March 4, 2023
You don't think Trump got his degree legitimately do you?
— Ken Kimball (@KenKimball11) March 4, 2023
If you want to use AI to do your homework that’s your right and your business. So long as you accept any potential consequences you may suffer from a lack of quick and critical thinking of your own throughout life. There’s no guarantee it’s always gonna be a “Hey Siri” moment.
— Ben Sk8in (@ben_sk8in44) March 3, 2023
The universities use artificial intelligence to review our homework submissions. The playing field has been leveled
— heywood_yabuzzoff (@h_yabuzzoff) March 3, 2023
So can I sign up for law school use AI and get a law degree.
— Stevareno (@Stevareno2) March 3, 2023
This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online