Artificial intelligence puts UQAC to the test

Using a conversational agent like Chatgpt is child’s play. The tool, although revolutionary, sometimes leads to headaches in educational establishments such as the University of Quebec in Chicoutimi (UQAC), where some wonder how to juggle this technological innovation.

Without generalizing, we still observe, in some cases, work a little too perfect said the professor of political science Michel Roche. When the exercises are too well successful, he has the chip in the ear. He sometimes had to confront certain students.

Barely a few years ago, he easily detected plagiarism. He only had to slide the questionable passages in a search engine to determine their origin, but the arrival of artificial intelligence, particularly chatgpt, changes the situation.

In a global way, for humanity, I assume that it is rather a good thing. We are talking about medicine, branches like that, but in terms of training in the social sciences, it is rather a headache in the days that runhe mentions.

The puzzle is that the tools that exist are powerful, accessible and prohibiting them is impossible.

We talk about it more and more between us and we also start to adapt to this new reality, but the time we adapt, there may be new technologies that will make us the thing even more difficulthe says, smiling.

Far from being refractory, Michel Roche admits that artificial intelligence can be useful. However, he believes that the intellectual process of students is essential in an academic framework.

Students are also trained to sleep their thoughts on paper in several pages. If they no longer engage in this kind of exercise, the result is that training will lose a lot of valuehe advances.

Reflection on the subject

L’UQAC has been proposing guiding principles since November regarding the use of artificial intelligence.

In terms of teaching, the choice to integrate or not theIA And the way of doing it, if this is the case, is entirely the teacher. It is important to specify the parameters of the use of tools ofIA generative in the course plan with the conditions under which the use is allowed, if applicablementions among others the establishment in the document.

L’UQAC also formed a sub-comity on the use of artificial intelligence in 2024 to reflect on the question and to help teachers to demystify theIA.

Even if it can be scary, it turns these tools upside down, I find that it is a great opportunity to innovate in our educational practices. I think that’s what you have to see, the positive of these tools, then I encourage my colleagues to explore them, to use them and then to think otherwise their way of teaching to take advantage of the tools of ‘artificial intelligencementions the head of the subcommittee, the mathematics professor Hugo Tremblay.

A first training on the subject was set up for teachers last fall.

We already have guiding principles at theUQACbut we want it to be transformed into politicscontinues Hugo Tremblay.

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Concerned students

But students also question themselves. Artificial intelligence and, above all, what they have the right to do it is a concern, ensures the coordinator of the Mage-Uqac, Emma Stintzi.

We know that there is a training that is offered to teachers. We think that training that would also be given to students to know how to use artificial intelligence without reducing your learning, we think it would be relevantshe asserts.

Several sites are underway at theUQAC To determine how to better integrate theIA in projects. One of the main challenges, according to Professor Hugo Tremblay, is the speed that technology is evolving, which is there to stay.

In its guiding principles, theUQAC careful residence and indicates that it would be premature to propose a specific legal frameworkbut the establishment specifies in the document that The establishment of other universities, it appears desirable to mark this use more in order to equip the university community.

For his part, Hugo Tremblay is aware that you have to find a way to avoid slippages.

We will not escape it. The technology is there. It will evolve. It will continue to evolve very quickly. You have to adapt. We have no choicehe says.