Generative AI Adoption in Postsecondary Education, AI Hype, and ChatGPT's Launch

TL;DR

This paper examines the rapid adoption of generative AI, especially ChatGPT, in higher education, analyzing societal perceptions, implications for teaching and learning, and advocating for best practices in responsible integration.

Contribution

It provides a multifaceted analysis of ChatGPT's impact in academia, combining discourse analysis with discussions on AI hype and responsible adoption strategies.

Findings

ChatGPT's launch sparked significant AI hype in mainstream discourse.

Generative AI influences perceptions of writing, teaching, and learning.

The paper emphasizes the need for best practices in AI adoption in education.

Abstract

The rapid integration of generative artificial intelligence (AI) into postsecondary education and many other sectors resulted in a global reckoning with this new technology. This paper contributes to the study of the multifaceted influence of generative AI, with a particular focus on OpenAI's ChatGPT within academic settings during the first six months after the release in three specific ways. First, it scrutinizes the rise of ChatGPT as a transformative event construed through a study of mainstream discourses exhibiting AI hype. Second, it discusses the perceived implications of generative AI for writing, teaching, and learning through the lens of critical discourse analysis and critical AI studies. Third, it encourages the necessity for best practices in the adoption of generative AI technologies in education.