UK higher education is undergoing a transformation driven by artificial intelligence. According to the Guardian, a survey by the Hepi Institute revealed the prevalence of AI-assisted writing among British college students, with more than half of the students admitting to using AI assistance to complete assignments. This phenomenon has triggered a profound reflection on academic integrity and teaching methods in the education community. Teachers have also begun to try to use AI technology to assist teaching, hoping to reduce their workload, but this also brings new challenges, such as how to deal with possible "illusions" and inaccuracies in AI-generated texts.
According to the British "Guardian" report, a survey conducted by the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) showed that more than half of British undergraduates admitted that they use artificial intelligence (AI) assistance in writing. Students are commonly using AI to generate materials and use them in assignments that will be graded, and teachers are also experimenting with generative technology to assist lesson plans in the hope of reducing their workload. However, some students’ lack of understanding of AI’s “illusions” and inaccuracies has raised concerns among educators.
The application of AI technology has brought new opportunities and challenges to higher education. How to balance the convenience and potential risks brought by AI will become an issue that the education industry needs to focus on in the future. More effective rules, regulations and teaching strategies need to be formulated to adapt to and guide the healthy development of AI technology in the field of education, ensuring educational fairness and academic rigor.