Texas A&M Professor Misused ChatGPT to Detect AI Text Generation in Student Submissions

In May 2023, Dr. Jared Mumm, an instructor in agricultural sciences at Texas A&M University-Commerce, sent an email to students claiming he had used 'Chat GTP' (referring to ChatGPT) to test whether they had used AI to write their final assignments. Mumm stated he had tested each paper twice and that ChatGPT claimed to have written every single assignment. He gave students temporary grades of 'X' (incomplete) and threatened failing grades, which could have prevented graduation for seniors who had already walked at commencement. The instructor's method was fundamentally flawed because ChatGPT is not designed to detect AI-generated content and will often falsely claim to have written human-authored text. Students provided evidence of their work through Google Docs timestamps showing their writing process, but Mumm initially ignored this evidence. The incident went viral on Reddit when a student's fiance posted about it, generating widespread criticism. The university confirmed the incident occurred and stated they were investigating while developing AI policies. Several students were subsequently exonerated and received apologies, while at least one student admitted to using ChatGPT. No students ultimately failed the class or were prevented from graduating, though some had their diplomas temporarily withheld during the investigation.