The number of students achieving straight-A grades at universities across the United States has seen a remarkable increase, and researchers suggest that artificial intelligence may be a significant factor. Igor Chirikov, who conducted an analysis of more than 500,000 academic records from a major Texas university covering the years 2018 to 2025, observed this trend. He categorized courses into two distinct groups: "AI-vulnerable," where AI tools can assist with student assignments such as essays and coding, and "AI-resistant," which includes subjects like mathematics, physics, and lab work where such assistance is less prevalent. Prior to 2022, grades in both categories were fairly consistent. However, following the introduction of ChatGPT, there was an approximate 30% increase in A grades within humanities and engineering courses, particularly those that assigned substantial amounts of homework. Chirikov argues that an A grade may now reflect a student’s ability to utilize advanced technology rather than an accurate representation of their knowledge or skills. The impact of this trend is particularly pronounced at elite institutions. In response to concerns about grade inflation, Harvard has put forth a proposal to limit the highest marks to 20% in any given course. Yale has expressed the issue even more straightforwardly in a recent report, stating, "Grades exist to communicate what students have learned. At Yale, as at many peer institutions, they no longer do." This raises an important question: has the grading system lost its relevance?
Informational material. 18+.
