Connectionists: ChatGPT and math: it performed very well in the AUTH senior undergraduate course exams on 'Digital Image Processing'

[Ioanna Koroni]

Dear University colleagues and students,

on the 3rd of February 2023, I run the winter semester exams for the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) undergraduate course on 'Digital Image Processing'.  
The questions were simpler and less mathematical than usual for various reasons (e.g., to run the presented experiment). 

We submitted the questions to ChatGPT and got the replies. The pdf is attached in: https://icarus.csd.auth.gr/chatgtp-in-education/.

Apart for glitches and errors here and there, ChatGPT fared very well. I did not read the replies in detail, but I would mark it around 8 in the scale [0,..,10], 10 being the best mark.

Here are some rather surprising findings:
1) ChatGPT can mimic rather well mathematical reasoning, e.g., on 2D systems, z transforms, Fourier transforms, complex numbers.
2) ChatGPT could present fairly well physical phenomena properties with some 'reasoning' (with or without quotation marks), which is beyond a successful classical text synthesis.

Needless to say, ChatGPT can provide programming solutions, e.g., to calculate the arithmetic mean and moving average filter output in Python, as can be seen in the example presented in:
https://icarus.csd.auth.gr/chatgtp-in-education/
 
I have presented in detail the great capabilities of Generative DNNs and also of Computational Algebra in my recent book (10/2022):
Ioannis Pitas, “Artificial Intelligence Science and Society Part A: Introduction to AI Science and Information Technology“, Amazon/Createspace,
https://www.amazon.com/dp/9609156460?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860

It seems that the DNN development greatly accelerated, notably in Transformers and Reinforcement Learning for natural language modeling, as employed in ChatGPT, which was released in November 2022.

Thus, we have a real education issue here not only in liberal studies, but in exact science and engineering as well, at least at exam level. 
There are various quick ways to handle it, with proper exam paradigm shift and at the expense of much more effort on behalf of Profs and tutors. 
However, in my view, the real issue is how to turn Generative DNNs to our advantage in education. This topic deserves a thorough research and can lead in education breakthroughs.

More infos and a wider perspective on the impact of AI on education can be found in:
https://icarus.csd.auth.gr/introduction-to-ai-science-and-engineering-and-its-impact-on-the-society-and-the-environment/

I would like to thank the AUTH PhD candidate Ms. I. Valsamara for eliciting and compiling the ChatGPT replies. 

Enjoy!
Ioannis Pitas
Email: pitas at csd.auth.gr
Chair of the International AI Doctoral Academy (AIDA)