Japan university threatens students against use of ChatGPT; 'strict measure will be taken'

Universities in Japan have become the latest in curtailing students' use of the OpenAI chatbot ChatGPT over looming concerns about the compromise of sensitive information using the artificial intelligence tool. Tokyo’s Sophia University rolled out the protocol banning students from using the AI app for writing assignments, essays, reports, theses and other textbook projects. Released last year in November, OpenAI's ChatGPT has gained traction online due to the AI tool’s ability to respond to complex queries with human-like output.

Strict measures threatened if AI tool used

World's prominent scientists and tech entrepreneurs including Neuralink and SpaceX's boss Elon Musk and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak have been pushing for a  6-month pause and reassessing the risks associated with Artificial Intelligence. The AI-enabled chatbot has also demonstrated the ability to summarise research studies, analysis, and other writing material. 

“The use of text, programme source code, calculation results generated by ChatGPT and other AI chatbots are not permitted on any assignments such as reaction papers, reports, essays and thesis, as they are not created by the student themselves,” the university said in its new guidelines on its official website, according to the translation cited by the UK's newspaper The Independent. “If the user is confirmed by detection tools, etc, strict measures will be taken in accordance with the University’s Disciplinary Rules on Misconduct,” the university added.

Worldwide, as concerns emerge about AI, Italy became the first country to have banned ChatGPT over concerns about user privacy. Italy's data protection agency has announced that the service will be blocked immediately and that the use of AI tools in the country will be subject to investigation. Authorities argue that the system's lack of a proper legal basis might lead to the illegal collection of personal information about Italian users. ChatGPT's algorithm stores information about the users, and there has been scrutiny of data privacy related to the app that has also raised questions about the future of AI services in Europe. A probe was ordered after Italian authorities flagged an issue about the “mass data gathering” protocols of the AI tool. Other countries to ban the tool are North Korea, Cuba, Iran, Syria.