When ChatGPT hit the scene in late 2022, the immediate concern was students using AI to cheat—generating essays, solving homework, or even writing entire assignments without learning the material. Teachers scrambled to ban or limit AI use, warning students about strict consequences for submitting AI-generated work. The message was clear: original, human work only.
But now the tables have turned. A student from Northeastern University, Ella Stapleton, discovered her professor was using ChatGPT to create lecture notes for their Organizational Behaviour class—and apparently without disclosing it. She found AI prompts embedded in the notes (“expand on all areas, be more detailed”), strange AI-generated images (with glitches like extra fingers and distorted fonts), and awkward, robotic-sounding text that didn’t feel genuine.
What really struck a nerve? The professor was telling students not to use AI, yet was relying on it heavily himself. So Ella filed a formal complaint and asked for a tuition refund of over $8,000 for that course, arguing it wasn’t the human-driven education she paid for.
This situation has sparked wider student outrage on platforms like Rate My Professors, where many complain about lazy AI-generated content, robotic feedback, and lectures that feel like ChatGPT’s “inner monologue.” Students want transparency—if their professors use AI to prepare notes or grade, they believe students should know and be able to choose how they want their education delivered.
On the flip side, many professors argue AI helps them manage heavy workloads and create more streamlined, efficient materials. They claim it’s a tool to enhance teaching, not replace genuine instruction.
This clash has raised important questions:
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Should professors be held to the same standards about AI use as students?
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Is it fair to ban students from using AI when teachers use it behind the scenes?
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How much AI assistance is acceptable in education before it compromises the learning experience?
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And crucially, how transparent should educators be about AI’s role in their teaching?
Ultimately, this case highlights how AI is reshaping education norms and ethics. Students demand authentic learning experiences—and if AI is part of the mix, they want honesty and disclosure. It’s a call for new guidelines that balance the benefits of AI with the core values of education.
