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As students gear up for presentations, papers, reports, or even final year projects, a growing number are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) for assistance. This trend is not confined to Morocco; it's a global phenomenon. According to Le Parisien Etudiant, an Ipsos survey for THEIA reveals that in France, «80% of 18-25 year-olds use AI at least once a week, with 20% using it several times a day». More than half have utilized AI for classroom exams, homework, or even finals.
The survey underscores a sentiment among many students that «exams do not accurately reflect their true abilities». This raises questions about the effectiveness of AI in skill enhancement during exercises. A science and biology ethics teacher quoted by the French media expressed that she did not feel «the need to use AI». She noted, «You still have to put in significant effort with the prompts to get results that are somewhat comparable to what I could achieve through my own thinking».
AI and Its Impact on Cognitive Development
In Morocco, there is a noticeable gap in quantified and cross-referenced data regarding the extent of AI usage among students and its impact on their cognitive abilities, including memory, attention, language, reasoning, and problem-solving skills. However, the prevalence of AI usage among students is similar to that in other countries, according to Mohssine Benzakour, a professor, psychosociologist, and academic.
Speaking to Yabiladi, Benzakour emphasized «the complete absence of a pedagogy for using AI, which has become generative while our youth lack general culture and struggle to rely on their own skills». He warned that «relying on and trusting the machine without critical thinking can exacerbate the issue, given the lack of an adapted pedagogy to effectively engage with AI».
«When it comes to academic dishonesty, AI is relatively easy to detect. It's possible to discern if a student's paper or presentation has been generated by AI. This is true even for scientific articles by professors or researchers», Benzakour explained.
The extent of AI use in universities is quite apparent, according to Benzakour, who points out that «evaluation is not solely based on production». He argues that «training and continuous assessment provide a genuine evaluation of a student's capabilities, beyond the exam day, by tracking their progress and learning».
The Challenges of Inadequate Pedagogy
However, Benzakour acknowledges that while «Moroccan universities have established contracts to curb plagiarism in academic work», the ability to monitor AI usage remains limited.
«These tools are evolving daily. While we were familiar with ChatGPT, there are now thousands of generative AI applications. Those who cheat have developed their own methods to outsmart the technology.»
For now, Benzakour believes that «there is no substitute for the discerning eye of a supervisor or scientific committee to identify flaws in academic work». He explains, «Unlike a machine that can be bypassed, a researcher takes the time to analyze the depth of the work they are evaluating», while pondering the future of these evaluation methods.
Looking ahead, he suggests that «the question is not whether researchers will continue to detect errors or cheating», but rather what will distinguish human work from AI-generated content in the future. «In 20 years, as the world adapts to a global context dominated by generative AI, will there be enough intellectuals to ensure that human work remains distinct?» Benzakour asks.
