The widespread use of AI has hit higher ed hard. First the teachers complained about students using ChatGPT on their assignments. Then the punishments came. Plagiarism software was updated to account for its use and students could face serious consequences for outsourcing their thinking to AI. It didn’t take long for the tables to turn: students began to complain about how often teachers were using AI! Some teachers are transparent with the process — Ithaca’s Diane Gayeski runs her student’s papers through ChatGPT for suggestions on how they should be graded and she suggests that students do the same to their work as a way to proofread. But are these fringe uses or signs of how ubiquitous AI usage will be in the classroom. The University of Michigan Law School is interested in that answer and they want applicants to get some contributions from AI when they answer it. ABA Journal was able to grab the text of a new question on the application, here it is:
“Essay Ten—To be answered using generative AI: How much do you use generative AI tools such as ChatGPT right now? What’s your prediction for how much you will use them by the time you graduate from law school? Why?”
What a strange way to get at this sort of information! First, the posing of this question seems to be a strong exception from UMichigan’s general stance toward AI use in the classroom. The ABA was quick to point out that it can’t be used for the applicant’s personal statements or any other supplemental essay questions. If a student were to answer along the lines of ” I use AI a moderate amount” or “I use AI so much that it heavily impacts my life choices. I’ve only applied to this law school because it told me getting in would finally make my parents proud of me,” wouldn’t that run the risk of making the applicant’s reader question if the student inappropriately used ChatGPT or some other large language model to answer other sections of the application? It seems like the safest route would be to offer conservative answers like “I don’t use AI tools very often” and “I think that my usage of such tools will depend on the school’s honor code and the degree to which my teachers require its usage.” Out of curiosity, I ran the questions through ChatGPT and got this response:
Current Use of Generative AI Tools:
Right now, I use generative AI tools like ChatGPT occasionally, mainly for tasks like brainstorming, summarizing legal concepts, or clarifying complex topics. It’s particularly useful for getting a quick overview of case law, generating outlines, or even simplifying dense legal language when I need a fresh perspective. However, I still rely heavily on traditional sources like textbooks, casebooks, and class notes for in-depth study and analysis.
Predicted Future Use in Law School:
By the time I graduate from law school, I expect to use generative AI tools significantly more. As the technology improves and becomes better integrated into legal research platforms, I foresee using it for drafting practice memos, issue spotting, synthesizing rules from multiple cases, and perhaps even checking my writing for clarity and conciseness. It could also be a helpful tool for exam preparation, time management, and simulating Socratic-style questioning.
Why:
The legal field is increasingly adopting AI-assisted tools, and as a student, I want to stay ahead of that curve. Law school involves managing an overwhelming amount of information, and generative AI can help streamline that workload. As I gain more experience and confidence, I’ll likely trust the tools more—though always with a critical eye, since legal accuracy and ethical standards are non-negotiable.
On balance, that’s a pretty damned good answer. And while inviting students to answer questions with AI may not the best way to assess their knowledge or reasoning skills, at least its not nearly as bad as the California Bar sneaking AI-generated questions onto the bar exam.
Best of luck to any prospective students applying to UMichigan. Remember, this should be the only question you’re using AI to help you answer!
Writing University Of Michigan Law School Optional Application Essay? Use Artificial Intelligence, Please [ABA Journal]
Chris Williams became a social media manager and assistant editor for Above the Law in June 2021. Prior to joining the staff, he moonlighted as a minor Memelord™ in the Facebook group Law School Memes for Edgy T14s . He endured Missouri long enough to graduate from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. He is a former boatbuilder who is learning to swim, is interested in critical race theory, philosophy, and humor, and has a love for cycling that occasionally annoys his peers. You can reach him by email at [email protected] and by tweet at @WritesForRent.