University student uses AI to stop cheats using AI to write essays
A university student has created an AI app to detect whether people have used bots like ChatGPT to write assignments.
Ed Daniels, who studies at the University of Bristol, developed AIED.UK after a project at university allowed him to integrate AI with education.
The 22-year-old said he felt the need to ‘protect the education system’ when ChatGPT was created.
The app uses AI to detect whether an essay has been written using other AI technology.
Explaining how it works, the fourth-year student said: ‘Computers are getting really good at noticing things, if I’m always saying the exact perfect word next, chances are, that’s a bot.
‘Normal human writing and speaking don’t always use the most predictable word, so the technology in the app effectively notices that if it can predict which word is coming next, a bot has probably written it.’
Ed has been compared by classmates to ‘the guy that told the teachers the homework was due’.
But he doesn’t mind the criticism and said: ‘I actually quite like it because it lets me pretend like I’m playing the villain or something.’
He likened the idea to ‘fighting fire with fire’ and said: ‘Currently the best models, you have to pay for, you have to pay £20 a month to get GPT 4 and it is a lot better, so that gives richer students a real advantage.
‘It worries me that some people may not have access to that stuff, so we need to level the playing field.’
He said his app acts as a ‘transitional phase’ to prevent cheating while universities adapt to new technologies.
The student admitted all workplaces will eventually use AI and students should have ‘access to AI tech, just like they give us printer credits’.
‘I’ve seen a lot online of cheaters knowing these detectors exist, and saying this is how I can get around it, and I’m watching those videos and learning from it too, I can be a bit more nimble than bigger companies,’ he said.
His passion for coding started at a young age and he was banned from school computers after taking over pupils’ screens and convincing them they were haunted.
Ed’s app has been supported by a grant from the university’s student start-up incubator, Runway.
Mark Neild, Runway’s programme director, said: ‘When AIED.UK applied for innovation funding, our judges could see its potential.
‘This is a rapidly growing market, so we are keen to help Ed develop his skills and build his exciting software.’
Kate Whittington, associate pro-vice chancellor for quality and standards at the University of Bristol, said: ‘Ed’s software is really interesting, and we are excited to see how it develops. One day it could be useful to educators all over the world.’
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