‘A’ Grades Are Suddenly Everywhere Since the Arrival of ChatGPT

AI is accelerating grade inflation, research indicates, and making it harder for employers to size up graduates

By Lindsay Ellis of The WSJ. Excerpts:

"Chirikov pulled data on more than half a million grades from 2018 to 2025 at a large public university in Texas that publishes course syllabi and grade distributions."

"He then compared classes with more AI-exposed tasks, most prevalent in humanities and engineering disciplines, with classes less reliant on writing and coding work. There was little difference between the two groups through 2022. Afterward, “A” grades shot up higher in the more AI-exposed courses. In classes that had more take-home assignments like homework, getting an A was even more likely."

"In 2023, 37% of employers used grade-point average in hiring, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers. That figure has ticked back up to 42%."

"Learning requires “productive struggle” that is eroded by AI, says Berkeley’s Chirikov."

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