ChatGPT has already wreaked havoc in classrooms and changed how teachers approach writing homework since OpenAI publicly launched its generative AI chatbot in slow 2022. School administrators have rushed to try to detect AI-generated essays, and students, in turn, have scrambled to find ways to hide their synthetic compositions. But by focusing on writing assignments, teachers have allowed another seismic shift to take place on the periphery: Students are also more likely to employ AI to complete math homework.
Now, high school and college students across the country are experimenting with free smartphone apps to aid them complete their studies. math homework using generative artificial intelligenceOne of the most popular options on campus right now is Gauth appwith millions of downloads. It is owned by ByteDance, which is also the parent company of TikTok.
Gauth was first launched in 2019 with a primary focus on mathematics, but soon expanded to include other subjects such as chemistry and physics. It has gained in importance and has come close to best smartphone download lists earlier this year in the Education category. Students seem to love it. With hundreds of thousands of mostly positive reviews, Gauth has a positive 4.8-star rating in Apple App Store AND Google Play Store.
All students have to do after downloading the app is point their smartphone at a homework assignment, whether printed or handwritten, and then make sure all the relevant information is in the frame of the image. Gauth’s AI model then generates a step-by-step guide, often with the correct answer.
In our tests of high school algebra and geometry homework examples, Gauth AI didn’t produce A+ results and particularly struggled with some graphing questions. It performed well enough to earn a low B or high C average on the homework assignments we gave it. It’s not perfect, but it’s probably good enough to satisfy bored students who’d rather spend their after-school time doing literally anything else.
The app had more trouble solving more challenging math problems, such as Calculus 2, so students further along in their education may find the current generation of AI-based homework apps less useful.
Yes, generative AI tools based on natural language processing are notorious for not generating correct answers when presented with elaborate mathematical equations. But researchers are focusing on improving AI’s abilities in this sector, and high school math classes for beginners are likely within reach of current AI homework applications. Will even wrote about how researchers at Google DeepMind are thrilled with recent test results of a vast math-focused language model called AlphaProof on problems presented at this year’s International Mathematical Olympiad.
To be fair, Gauth positions itself as an AI research firm that aims to “achieve your homework goals” and aid with challenging problems, not aid with cheating. The company even goes so far as to include “Code of Honor” on its website, dictating appropriate employ. “Resist the urge to use Gauth in a way that conflicts with your values or the school’s expectations,” the company’s website reads. So, essentially, Gauth is implicitly acknowledging that impulsive teens may employ the app for much more than occasional trouble, and it wants them to make a pinky promise to behave themselves.
A ByteDance spokesperson did not respond to a list of questions about the Gauth app that WIRED sent him via email before publication.