ChatGPT is trained on vast amounts of online data to generate responses to user prompts. While it has gained traction among users, it has also raised concerns about inaccuracies and its potential to perpetuate biases and spread misinformation.

Jon Choi, one of the University of Minnesota law professors, told CNN the goal of the tests was to explore ChatGPT’s potential to assist lawyers in their practice and to help students in exams, whether or not their professors permit it because the questions often mimic the writing lawyers do in real life.

“ChatGPT struggled with the most classic components of law school exams, such as spotting potential legal issues and deep analysis applying legal rules to the facts of a case,” Choi said. “But ChatGPT could be very helpful at producing a first draft that a student could then refine.”

“My strong hunch is that AI assistants will become standard tools for lawyers shortly, and law schools should prepare their students for that eventuality,” he said. “Of course, if law professors want to continue to test simple recall of legal rules and doctrines, they’ll need to put restrictions like banning the internet during exams to enforce that.”

Likewise, Wharton’s Terwiesch found the chatbot was “remarkably good” at modifying its answers in response to human hints, such as reworking answers after pointing out an error, suggesting the potential for people to work together with AI.In the short term, however, discomfort remains with whether and how students should use ChatGPT. For example, public schools in New York City and Seattle have discouraged students and teachers from using ChatGPT on the district’s networks and devices.

Considering ChatGPT performed above average on his exam, Terwiesch told CNN he agrees that restrictions should be placed for students while taking tests.

“Bans are needed,” he said. “After all, when you give a medical doctor a degree, you want them to know medicine, not how to use a bot. The same holds for other skill certifications, including law and business.”

But Terwiesch believes this technology still ultimately has a place in the classroom. “If all we end up with is the same educational system as before, we have wasted an amazing opportunity that comes with ChatGPT,” he said.