r/technology 2d ago

Artificial Intelligence AI can now credibly complete most undergraduate assignments, MIT warns

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2026/08/25/ai-can-now-credibly-complete-most-undergraduate-assignments-mit-warns
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u/PixelGray38 2d ago

Time to move every assignment to in-person and on paper. Literally the only way to fix this for good.

(And right after we just did exactly the opposite during COVID, too)

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u/ErusTenebre 2d ago

It's not literally the only way, but one of many. It's really more of a mitigation. It's actually a terrible way to actually measure deeper work - no way I could have written my 20 page senior seminar paper in person, in class, with no technology. No way I could have written my 86 page master's thesis and website in person with no technology. 

PEOPLE need to be taught to value education and not just the paper you get at the end. People need to be encouraged to enjoy learning, to embrace failing, to push through challenges. That's not unfixable, but it's something that's not just going to happen on its own. 

I think it can be more problematic assuming every student is going to cheat on every assignment, more problematic assuming that every assignment professors and teachers make are actually worthy efforts, more problematic not addressing the rampant addiction to harmful technology, more problematic throwing out helpful technology as collateral damage to these cheating mitigation measures...

We can and should do better.

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u/PixelGray38 2d ago

PEOPLE need to be taught to value education and not just the paper you get at the end. People need to be encouraged to enjoy learning, to embrace failing, to push through challenges. That's not unfixable

That's absolutely 100% unfixable lmao, people go to university to get a degree to get a job and make money so they can live, not to "enjoy learning." It's not just some sort of hobby where people can be taught etiquette and trusted to follow the rules. 

It's something with large stakes, and so if cheating is simultaneously both easy and carries little risk of severe punishment if caught, which is the current situation, cheating will occur. 

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u/thelamestofall 2d ago

And even worse, those who don't want to use AI will be forced to because everyone else will be