Da: Giacomo DA ROS
Data: 7 apr 2023, 18:03 +0200
A: Sergei GURIEV
Cc: MATHIAS VICHERAT
Oggetto: Re: on ChatGPT
Dear Mr Guriev,
I am writing this email to follow up on my unanswered message from two months ago on the subject of the use of AI tools. I assure you that the feelings that moved me to write that first email are only stronger now.
My first point is a simple customer-service complaint. I am lucky not to be among those who pay almost 20 000 euros per year to have the privilege to study at Sciences Po. There are countless reasons that would, in this case, make the service we are receiving an undisputably bad deal. Not receiving an answer from anybody in the Administration when voicing a complaint certainly does not help with this feeling. It is nothing short of unacceptable.
Secondly, I want to reiterate my concerns with regard to the misguided ban you have felt the need to reaffirm several times since January. Stating it once more will not make it any less ridiculous. There is no need to organise debates on the future of AI in higher education if this remains your position. It is not just the losing one, it is short-sighted, unfounded and plain wrong. If you want any proof of why it is so you just need to walk around any of Sciences Po's libraries or common spaces. You will see more instances of ChatGPT open on students' laptops than you can count. Are you going to sanction all of them?
I would like to end this email by explaining my motivation for taking the time to think about this and to write to you for the second time. When I wrote the first message my ultimate goal was the retraction of your comments. Other universities have much more sane and constructive policies in place to deal with AI tools that can actually foster discussion among the university population and I would have been glad to see these adopted in mine. This goal remains unchanged. However, I am now unsure whether Sciences Po actually cares about constructive discussion rather than simple posturing. Again, I do not need to be told I am right - the actual behaviour of students, which you can observe as well as I do, tells me that. I stand by everything I wrote in my first message, including the willingness to discuss this with whoever feels this is worth talking about.
I look forward to your answer and thank you for your time. Kind regards,
Giacomo Da Ros