ChatGPT Goes to Academia. Una ricerca esplorativa su usi e immaginari dell'intelligenza artificiale da parte di studenti e accademici

This article examines the integration and implications of ChatGPT within the academic environment, focusing on its uses and social representations. Drawing insights from both students and academics, the study introduces two conceptual frames to interpret the practices and perceptions surrounding this artificial intelligence (AI) tool. ChatGPT is seen as a valuable resource for academic tasks and research activities, yet it also highlights significant ethical challenges. These concerns include issues of intellectual integrity, authorship, and the potential for plagiarism. The reliability of sources and potential privacy breaches further complicate these ethical dilemmas. The essay concludes by proposing the concept of “AI Adaptive Balance”. This emphasizes the academic community’s ongoing need to strike a balance between harnessing the advantages of AI and addressing its inherent challenges, ensuring that AI augments rather than undermines the academic mission.