Professor Admits AI Editing of Op-Ed on Student Math Deficiencies

A mathematics professor at the University of California, Berkeley, has admitted to using artificial intelligence to assist in editing an opinion piece that criticized a significant decline in students' mathematical abilities. The professor, Zvezdelina Stankova, argued in an op-ed for the San Francisco Standard that many of her students are several years behind in foundational math skills, lacking even a middle school understanding of concepts like fractions and basic algebra. She attributed this deficiency partly to the UC system's test-blind admissions policies, suggesting that the absence of standardized tests like the SAT has led to the admission of inadequately prepared students.

This admission comes amidst broader discussions about the role of AI in education, including concerns about academic integrity and the potential for AI to be used for cheating. Simultaneously, technology companies are actively developing AI tools aimed at supporting students' learning. Google, for instance, is enhancing its Gemini AI with dedicated study features, including a student hub for research, flashcard creation, and practice quizzes, alongside improvements to study notebooks with support for graphs and images. OpenAI has also launched a version of ChatGPT specifically for teenagers, incorporating stronger safeguards against harmful content and features designed to aid learning rather than simply providing answers for assignments.