Zvezdelina Stankova, a mathematics professor at the University of California, Berkeley, used artificial intelligence to edit a viral op-ed regarding student performance.

The incident highlights the tension between academic integrity and the use of generative tools, especially when those tools are used to criticize the very institutions where the authors teach.

Stankova's piece, published in the San Francisco Standard, argued that some of her students were five to eight years behind in math [1]. In the 2,000-word article [1], she criticized UC Berkeley's admission standards and highlighted what she described as a severe math deficiency among the student body.

Following reports that the text may have been generated by AI, Stankova confirmed the use of the technology. "I used AI to 'help edit' an article about some of my students being 'five to eight years' behind," Stankova said [1].

There are conflicting reports regarding the extent of the AI's involvement. While some reports state the tool was used only for editing [1], other reports indicate the AI helped write the piece [2]. Stankova said in a separate statement, "I only used AI to edit, not to write the piece" [4].

The controversy comes as universities grapple with the role of AI in the classroom. Earlier this year, thousands of faculty members signed open letters regarding the technology's impact on education [3].

Stankova's admission follows the use of a pangram detector to analyze the op-ed, which suggested AI involvement [4]. The professor continues to maintain that the core arguments and the original drafting of the piece were her own work.

“"I only used AI to edit, not to write the piece."”

This incident underscores a growing paradox in higher education where faculty members utilize the same generative AI tools that many institutions are attempting to regulate or ban for students. By using AI to polish a critique of academic standards, the professor has inadvertently centered the debate on the medium of her message rather than the substance of the math deficiency she aimed to expose.