The York University Online Summer A (Graduate) 2025 session begins on 4/28/25! Apply here by 4/23/25.

Artificial Intelligence (AI), Open AI, ChatGPT, and AI Text Generators Overview

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has opened tremendous educational opportunities while presenting a few challenges. Over the last few months, AI text generators have been at the forefront of conversations across higher education institutions and educational technology companies.

What are AI Text Generators, OpenAI, and ChatGPT?

AI text generators are computer systems or models that use artificial intelligence techniques, particularly natural language processing (NLP), to generate human-like text. These systems are designed to understand and generate text that is coherent, contextually relevant, and mimics the style and tone of human language.

OpenAI is an artificial intelligence research organization and technology company. It was founded in December 2015 to develop and promote friendly AI for the benefit of humanity. OpenAI conducts research in various areas of artificial intelligence, including natural language processing, computer vision, reinforcement learning, and robotics.

ChatGPT is an implementation of the GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) model developed by OpenAI. GPT is a state-of-the-art language model that uses deep learning techniques to generate human-like text and engage in conversation. ChatGPT is based on the Transformer architecture, which has proven highly effective for various natural language processing tasks.

According to ChatGPT, the current limitations of AI text generators include:

ChatGPT, like any AI system, has certain limitations. OpenAI acknowledges these limitations and is actively working to improve the capabilities of its models while addressing these issues. User feedback and ongoing research play vital roles in refining and enhancing the performance of ChatGPT and similar AI systems. Some of the critical limitations of ChatGPT are as follows:

Lack of true understanding:

While ChatGPT can generate coherent and contextually relevant responses, it lacks true understanding and common sense reasoning. It generates responses based on patterns and associations learned from training data without a deep understanding of the underlying concepts.

Sensitivity to input phrasing:

ChatGPT can be sensitive to slight changes in the phrasing or wording of a prompt. Even small modifications can lead to different responses, which can sometimes be inconsistent or unexpected.

Generating plausible but incorrect answers:

ChatGPT aims to generate contextually appropriate responses, but it can occasionally produce incorrect information. It cannot fact-check or verify the accuracy of the information it generates.

Vulnerability to bias:

ChatGPT learns from large datasets, which may contain biases present in the data. As a result, it can exhibit biased behavior or generate biased responses. Efforts have been made to mitigate this issue, but biases can still arise in certain cases.

Inability to ask clarifying questions:

ChatGPT operates in a one-turn conversation style and cannot ask follow-up questions or seek clarifications. It solely relies on the provided prompt or input, which can limit its ability to gather additional information when needed.

Generating nonsensical or off-topic responses:

In certain situations, ChatGPT may produce responses that are nonsensical, off-topic, or unrelated to the input. This can happen if the model encounters ambiguous or unclear prompts, leading to unexpected outputs.

AI text generators are widely employed to assist students in various tasks, including essay writing, research paper formulation, and creative writing. These tools can generate well-structured and grammatically correct content, providing valuable support to learners who may struggle with articulating their ideas or require assistance in organizing their thoughts.

Lesson 2: Using and Understanding CopyLeaks

Our Mission

The mission of York University is to transform lives through Christ-centered education and to equip students for lifelong service to God, family and society.