Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

AI is taking the jobs of Kenyans who write essays for U.S. college students
Rest of World ^ | 21 April 2023 • Nairobi, Kenya | By Martin K.N Siele

Posted on 04/27/2023 10:12:52 PM PDT by thecodont

For the past nine years, Collins, a 27-year-old freelance writer, has been making money by writing assignments for students in the U.S. — over 8,500 miles away from Nanyuki in central Kenya, where he lives. He is part of the “contract cheating” industry, known locally as simply “academic writing.” Collins writes college essays on topics including psychology, sociology, and economics. Occasionally, he is even granted direct access to college portals, allowing him to submit tests and assignments, participate in group discussions, and talk to professors using students’ identities. In 2022, he made between $900 and $1,200 a month from this work.

Lately, however, his earnings have dropped to $500–$800 a month. Collins links this to the meteoric rise of ChatGPT and other generative artificial intelligence tools.

“Last year at a time like this, I was getting, on average, 50 to 70 assignments, including discussions which are shorter, around 150 words each, and don’t require much research,” Collins told Rest of World. “Right now, on average, I get around 30 to 40-something assignments.” He requested to be identified only by his first name to avoid jeopardizing his accounts on platforms where he finds clients.

In January 2023, online learning platform Study surveyed more than 1,000 American students and over 100 educators. More than 89% of the students said they had used ChatGPT for help with a homework assignment. Nearly half admitted to using ChatGPT for an at-home test or quiz, 53% had used it to write an essay, and 22% had used it for outlining one.

Collins now fears that the rise of AI could significantly reduce students’ reliance on freelancers like him in the long term, affecting their income. Meanwhile, he depends on ChatGPT to generate the content he used to outsource to other freelance writers.

(Excerpt) Read more at restofworld.org ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Education; Society
KEYWORDS: chatgpt; college; contractcheating; kenya

1 posted on 04/27/2023 10:12:52 PM PDT by thecodont
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: thecodont

So he’s actually getting an education, while the kids are walking out with no education, just a paper.


2 posted on 04/27/2023 10:24:04 PM PDT by DesertRhino (Dogs are called man's best friend. Moslems hate dogs. Add it up..Stupid. Completely stupid.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DesertRhino
He is already highly educated, probably in the USA.

He just prefers to live in his native country in the boonies.

3 posted on 04/27/2023 10:33:01 PM PDT by Mogger
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: thecodont

I am not smart enough to use the AI chat programs. I tried but the results was not good. I tried a few free examples.

What I asked it to do: Write a story about airplanes


4 posted on 04/27/2023 10:43:21 PM PDT by minnesota_bound (Need more money to buy everything now)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DesertRhino

It’s ok. They’ll run for congress because they’ll fail any actual job interview


5 posted on 04/27/2023 11:21:41 PM PDT by Nifster ( I see puppy dogs in the clouds )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

“Lately, however, his earnings have dropped to $500–$800 a month”

He is making a lot more than George Obama. I bet he doesn’t live in a hut.


6 posted on 04/27/2023 11:34:28 PM PDT by rxh4n1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: thecodont

Lately, however, his earnings have dropped to $500–$800 a month. Collins links this to the meteoric rise of ChatGPT and other generative artificial intelligence tools.

*************

Collins is making excuses for a cut in income, a cut in income that was inevitable with or without the AI boogie man scapegoat.

He was a nonessential producer during a cheap money era.

When cheap money ends, it becomes a tough shit, better find new employment or become a new employer economy.

This “creative destruction” never changes no matter the time period in history.


7 posted on 04/27/2023 11:41:03 PM PDT by unclebankster ( Globalism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: thecodont

Cry me a river.

Those students who cheat are only cheating themselves on many levels. But that certainly explains the number of illiterate college educated idiots out there where you wonder how they got their degrees.


8 posted on 04/27/2023 11:47:06 PM PDT by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith….)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: thecodont

Try to imagine how little I care.


9 posted on 04/28/2023 1:11:08 AM PDT by Chad C. Mulligan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: thecodont

I wrote many essays.
I did research and wrote them and received
corresponding grades and corrective comments.
I went to to school to get educated,
not cheat my way into the system.
But then again I’m a scientist, not a Democrat.


10 posted on 04/28/2023 1:49:39 AM PDT by rellic
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: metmom

Cheating themselves, yes but also cheating all of us.

Starting by committing fraud while in college and getting student loans to not having the knowledge to be able to get jobs good enough to repay those loans. Then finally landing jobs in government where their ignorance shines through and affects us all.

Its dishonest and corrupt and it is condoned.


11 posted on 04/28/2023 3:04:58 AM PDT by Adder (ALL Democrats are the enemy. NO QUARTER!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: thecodont
The Postmodern Generator will write your term paper for free.

Just keep reloading the page until you find a paper that you like.

12 posted on 04/28/2023 3:06:03 AM PDT by Angelino97
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: thecodont

13 posted on 04/28/2023 4:38:48 AM PDT by Larry Lucido (Donate! Don't just post clickbait!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson