FILE PHOTO: college student using ChatGPT. Photo by Viralyft on Unsplash
In a recent study conducted by the professional writing team at EssayPro, Utah emerges as the state where students are most likely to turn to artificial intelligence (AI) tools, particularly ChatGPT, for essay assistance. The analysis, which examined Google search volumes over the past year across 29 search terms related to AI-driven essay writing, sheds light on a growing trend in academia.
According to the findings, Utah ranks first, with an average of 273.9 monthly searches per one million residents. Utah is home to 36 colleges and universities, renowned for their research-oriented programs. The allure of AI models lies in their ability to streamline the essay writing process, particularly in organizing vast amounts of research material.
However, Adam J, an author at EssayPro, offers a cautionary note regarding the use of AI in academic writing. While AI models like ChatGPT can provide structural assistance, enhance vocabulary usage, and aid in idea generation, overreliance on such tools can lead to the erosion of critical thinking and research skills.
“Overuse of A.I can cause students to lose important skills such as critical thinking and research skills,” he cautions. “Generative learning models draw from existing material, opening the door for plagiarism concerns. It also has a limited knowledge base and can completely make up information from scratch with no basis in reality.
“Artificial intelligence has its place as a support mechanism for writers, but the time taken to refine a generated essay would be better utilized to using your own thoughts and research to create a stronger piece of work.”
The study’s methodology involved gathering data from Google Keyword Planner, a tool providing monthly and annual Google search volume for key phrases and terms across the US and for each state. Twenty-nine search terms, including ‘ai essay writer’ and ‘how to use ai for essays,’ were used to source data from the past 12 months, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of student preferences and behaviors regarding AI essay assistance.
Other states in the top 10 include Texas, Georgia, Florida, New York, Arizona, Hawai’i, California, Rhode Island and Nevada.
Using artificial intelligence for essay assistance underscores the evolving landscape of academic writing and the challenges it presents. Students increasingly seek efficiency in meeting academic demands and the debate over the ethical and practical implications of AI integration in education continues to grow.