Three Students. One Question. Three ChatGPT Answers.

The big question: Can Chatbots Replace Chalkboards?

Here’s my take, based on a real incident.

After our math test, three of us were in a heated discussion. We’d all gotten stuck on a tricky calculus problem and were now arguing over the answer. One of us said the limit was zero. Another said one. I was confident it was infinity. Classic post-test chaos.

Naturally, we turned to ChatGPT to settle the debate. Each of us typed the same question into our own account. A couple seconds later, each of us proudly announced we were right. Somehow, we were. ChatGPT gave each of us a different answer.

We laughed it off, but the real punchline came the next day. Our teacher solved the problem on the board in under five minutes and showed us the actual answer: neither zero, one, nor infinity. It was one-third. Turns out we’d all misapplied L’Hôpital’s Rule.

So, can chatbots replace chalkboards? The short answer: no. Mostly.

ChatGPT is great for quick explanations, practice problems, and late-night cramming. I’ve used it more times than I can count, especially when I’m too shy to ask a question in class again. But AI can’t always detect why I’m stuck. It doesn’t see the uncertainty on my face or catch the tiny math error I keep repeating.

That’s where teachers win. My teacher didn’t just give us the right answer—she showed us how to think. She asked questions, noticed our confusion, and helped us connect concepts we were treating as separate. That kind of support doesn’t show up in a chat window.

So no, chatbots can’t replace chalkboards. But they definitely help. When I use both my teacher and ChatGPT, I learn faster and with more confidence. One gives me quick answers. The other teaches me how to ask better questions.