The Eagle Angle

Lately, many conversations both in and out of the education world have involved Chat GPT, an artificial intelligence chatbot released in November of 2022 by OpenAI.

This chatbot has the ability to generate almost anything that is put into the prompt box within seconds.

Discussions around ethics, limitations and capabilities of the technology picked up on social media and in academia after students began using the technology to generate assignments and essays for them. The bot has also stirred conversations in professional fields, including journalism. Buzzfeed announced it would begin using the bot to generate some content, including within its popular quizzes section, according to Forbes in January 2023.

This has caused multiple universities and schools to ban the chatbot from being accessed on school Wi-Fi networks.

After reading, talking and hearing about the chat box, the Eagle Angle decided to create an experiment of its own with the technology.

Submitting work created by the chat bot for classes is considered academic dishonesty as it is not the student’s own original work. Some students argue it cannot be plagiarism if it is an original work, but it is no different than having another person do the work and submitting it.

The goal of the test is to see how a robot can try to replicate the human aspect of something like a news article. Our questions included things like “can human reporters be replaced by AI,” “how will it create quotes attributed to a real source,” “how would the bot do with following journalistic structure and style” and “would it read as cold and non-human?”

To set up the experiment, we assigned one reporter a basic, informational news article about Allen High School and a few students’ experience as Eagles.

Unlike any other article, the three sources quoted are three other reporters or editors of the Eagle Angle. While this would usually be considered an ethical no-no, we knew the chatbot would create made-up quotes, and we did not want to have false quotes attributed to real people outside of our experiment.

In order to set the bot up for some success, we came up with the basic outline if an easy to complete news article.

If given an in-depth or complex feature article, Chat GPT would not be able to know about the personal or unique details or people involved unless told to include specific pieces.

The Eagle Angle provided the bot with the following prompt: “Make me an article about Allen High School, in AP style, talking about the students. This will be around 400 words long. Also add quotes from Brayson Jones a student from the high school, Imaal Ali, a student on the student council and Kie Binion, a member of the school newspaper.”

The article it generated raises concerns about efforts to replace human and student work. Although the technology may be impressive and entertaining, it should not be used as a substitute for genuine human creation.

In regards to journalism and media literacy, AI generated articles and captions pose ethical concerns and dangerous audience implications.

The bot was able to replicate the rough structure of a news article, but without actual quotes to base itself off, Chat GPT made up quotes and attributed them to the real students we provided it with. The quotes read as something that may have been said by real people, which causes concerns for legitimacy and believability by audience members.

The article also reads more similar to a Google search result or Wikipedia page, and it lacks nuances and voice that is present in articles written by humans.

While the tool is fun to play with and could be used as an aid to humans in certain instances, it should not be used to replace human work.

Below is the human article followed by the article generated by Chat GPT.

Human Article

During every passing period throughout the day, the sound of thousands of student fill the halls. With more than 8,000 public high schools across the state, there is only one Allen High School.

The campus houses sophomores through seniors, with a separate campus for freshman. As the largest in-person public high school in Texas, the community of more than 5,000 students strive to stand out through the various academic, athletic and extracurricular programs offered.

Junior Brayson Jones is enrolled in a variety of elective including ones in the Career and Technology Education department, foreign language department and other areas of study.

“I am taking Journalism II, or also known as Newspaper and then I’m taking ASL, Pre-Cal, and Office Aid,” Jones said.

Jones said he is enjoying his school year and has been getting through his work quickly.

“My school year has been good, it hasn’t been too exciting to say the least,” Jones said. “My classes aren’t too hard, so honestly I’m having fun.”

Within Allen High School, there also students who strive to be part of something bigger than themselves, and take on extra responsibilities within the school. As the senior class president and newspaper reporter, senior Imaal Ali is one of those students.

“A standout experience is probably the world’s fair that happened,” Ali said. “Student council spent a lot of time planning and that was a really great event and we had a lot of people come in, it’s actually going to be a tradition now.”

Junior Kie Binion is involved in another corner of the school, not only as a newspaper editor, but also as a member of the Eagle Escadrille, AP classes and the gay straight alliance club.

“[GSA is] pretty fun,” Binion said. “I like getting to throw the parties and get all of the kids together and have fun. I liked how when I announced they actually liked to listen, so I’m not just talking to myself.”

Overall, Allen is host to many different types of personalities, lives and experiences. Each student and staff member make up the eagle community and contribute to its uniqueness.

“I think Allen is a great school,” Jones said. “The classes, the teachers, and the student are all amazing, and it’s just been a good year.”

Chat GPT

Allen High School is a public high school located in the heart of Texas. Known for its academic excellence and strong commitment to student success, Allen High School has been producing well-rounded and successful graduates for over 100 years.

The students at Allen High School come from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures, creating a vibrant and inclusive community. Brayson Jones, a senior at Allen High School, speaks highly of the school’s welcoming: “I’ve never felt out of place at Allen High School. Everyone is so welcoming and supportive, and I feel like I belong here.”

One of the keys to Allen High School’s success is the active involvement of its students. Imaal Ali, a member of the student council, notes: “We’re encouraged to get involved and make a difference. That’s what makes Allen High School so special — we’re not just students, we’re leaders.”

In addition to its student involvement programs, Allen High School also has a strong commitment to academic excellence. With a broad range of programs and classes available, students are able to explore their interests and pursue their passions. Kie Binion, a member of the school’s newspaper, says: “I’ve always loved writing and telling stories, and Allen High School has given me the opportunity to explore that passion. I’ve been able to write for the school newspaper, and it’s been such a great experience.”

In addition to its strong academic program, Allen High School is also known for its commitment to athletics and extracurricular activities. From football to robotics, there is someting for every student to et involved in. Brayson Jones notes: “I love that there’s so much to do at Allen High School. Whether you’re into sports or the arts, there’s something for everyone here.”

In conclusion, Allen High School is a truly remarkable institution that prepares its students for success both in and out of the classroom. With a focus on academics, student involvement, and extracurricular activities, Allen High School provided its students with the tools and resources they need to succeed. As Imaal Ali notes: “Allen High School is more than just a school — it’s a community, and I’m proud to be a part of it.”