AI grade-inflation paper: A-share up 13 points in AI-exposed courses, not Berkeley
NathanpmYoung · x · 2026-09-25
NathanpmYoung fact-checks a Zvi claim: the '30% more As' figure comes from a UC Berkeley researcher's paper but measures an unnamed Texas university, not Berkeley, where A rates stayed flat at 30-35% from 2019-2026.
The paper itself (CSHE Vol 26-3, Igor Chirikov):
- 500k+ grades, 2018-2025, difference-in-differences design
- After ChatGPT's release, AI-exposed courses (writing/coding) saw A-share rise 13 percentage points, 30% relative to the 2022 baseline
- Larger gains where homework weighs more, consistent with AI substituting for student work rather than learning gains
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