Overview
A professor at École Polytechnique de Louvain conducted an experimental open-book exam that allowed students to use chatbots, requiring them to declare usage in advance and share their prompts. Only 3 out of 60 students chose to use AI assistance, revealing unexpected student attitudes toward AI in academic settings.
Key Facts
- Students could use chatbots during the exam but had to announce intention in advance - transparency becomes a requirement, not an option
- Students had to share their prompts and take full accountability for mistakes - AI assistance comes with complete responsibility for outputs
- Only 3 out of 60 students chose to use chatbots despite permission - students may prefer traditional methods even when AI is allowed
- Professor surveyed half the class to understand motivations - student reluctance to use AI needs investigation
Why It Matters
This experiment reveals that student adoption of AI tools may be far lower than expected, challenging assumptions about how generative AI will transform education and suggesting the need for more nuanced policies around AI use in academics.