The ChatGPT Professor

Inês Godinho

Currently, almost no day goes by that there isn't news about the countless talents of ChatGPT. Knowing everything, or almost everything, he writes books without existential crises or creation anguish, not having to stop doing it for the simple fulfillment of the most basic human needs, such as eating or sleeping. He knows the biographies of anyone – even if accuracy can be fallible –, he lists facts and dates and any possible relationship between them – ethical assessments aside – he has, in short, a knowledge that we would epithet as encyclopedic – were we not referring to to a tool – and, in truth, it even has opinions

Already promoted to writer, who knows everything, it would be better to promote him, at once, to professor. You will not complain about working longer hours or away from your place of residence, you will not claim to be paid length of service or better wages, you will not go on strike and, best of all, you will have all the information and anything else that arises, immediately available at any student's fingertips. Just think of the huge financial savings: people for what? ChatGPT will suffice! Eliminate teachers as a profession. And the students will certainly thank you. How not? A teacher available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, what better? No absences, no sick leave. No criticism or praise: just the pure uninterrupted transmission of information that, to the student's taste, can be in a simplified or animated version, all depending on the request made to the ChatGPT Professor.

More: a computer will suffice; even spending on educational establishments will reduce. The less evolved establishments will be hybrids or, ideally, virtual, in which there will be beautiful equipment, only in the metaverse. In fact, each computer, better, terminal, will be the student's school, with access to a metaverse of equipment: the best gyms, beautiful rooms and laboratories, libraries as far as the eye can see and, who knows, even rooms for every type of activity creative. All without leaving the chair at home, just putting on some glasses. And the students, in their assessments and academic work, will turn to the reliable Professor ChatGPT to do them for them. It will also be the era of ChatGPT students.

It is therefore important to make a choice today. A choice that cannot pass by ignoring technology, but that cannot mean a subjugated acceptance of this Artificial Intelligence tool. We are at a crossroads that demands from all of us a will for human critical thinking – so human! – so that technology does not destroy an ancient heritage and is truly at the service of the School.

Without urgent reflection, this “brave new world” could make us witness the “end of history” and the last teacher.

Inês Godinho
Associate Professor at Lusófona University – University Center of Porto