How has Northwestern responded to the rise of ChatGPT and other generative AI platforms? How did the Wildcats fare against No. 23 Indiana’s undefeated football team? The Daily answers these questions and recaps other top stories from the last week.

EDWARD SIMON CRUZ: Northwestern students can now access ChatGPT for free.

NU football fell to No. 23 Indiana 41-24 in its Big Ten home opener.

And the University will no longer offer alumni interviews for undergraduate applications.

From The Daily Northwestern, I’m Edward Simon Cruz. This is The Weekly, a breakdown of our top headlines from the past week.

Today, I’m speaking with Assistant Campus Editor Cassie Sun and Gameday Editor Jake Epstein.

Our first guest today is Cassie Sun, an assistant campus editor who’s written a few stories in the last week about how Northwestern students and faculty are responding to the rise of generative AI (artificial intelligence).

We’ve seen that the University created the Provost’s Generative AI Advisory Committee. In August 2023, they had some sessions for faculty members to learn more about generative AI platforms like ChatGPT and different ways they can use them in classrooms, adjust to their increasing popularity in academics and around the world.

And we’ve seen this year even more changes, where the University seems to be leaning even more into generative AI and its potential.

What have been some of the big changes that we’ve seen effected this school year?

CASSIE SUN: Northwestern students, faculty and staff now have access to ChatGPT through Copilot, which is the AI chatbot that comes from Microsoft. It’s special because Microsoft signed a contract with Northwestern so that the data that students input can’t be used for training, and that’s why the University wanted to partner with Microsoft, because it makes using ChatGPT safer for students.

EDWARD SIMON CRUZ: Faculty members, professors around the country have had concerns tied to academic integrity, some of them. Others have embraced the potential for generative AI to enhance the learning experience in various ways.

Some of these concerns are tied to the way in which generative AI platforms like ChatGPT rely on large language models, where they use an existing database of information available online and then generate, algorithmically, what they believe would be the most likely answer to a prompt that one were to type in.

How have different professors and faculty members and staff at Northwestern responded to this push toward generative AI and increased access to Copilot/ChatGPT?

CASSIE SUN: I think the general trend was that professors still want students to be critically thinking and working through it by themselves. But I think a surprising amount of professors are also open to students using ChatGPT or other generative AI (tools) as a way to help them.

So, for example, I talked to (religious studies) Prof. Lily Stewart, who said she’s OK with students using Microsoft Copilot for summaries, but she still wants the students to actually read the text that’s written. And similarly, (computer science) Prof. Connor Bain talked about how just because there are calculators doesn’t mean we don’t do simple math and we’re not taught math in school still. So I think what professors are thinking is to use AI as a supplement rather than replacing the actual work that students need to do for themselves.

EDWARD SIMON CRUZ: There were Fall 2023 surveys from Northwestern and the Associated Student Government that found that the majority of students use AI at least occasionally or once a month. Now that it’s a year later and we’ve seen changes at the University level, how have students responded to these changes?

CASSIE SUN: So I’ve actually seen some mixed responses from students, but primarily I think students are excited for this because generative AI is so prevalent already that so many students use it in ways that help them in their classes, so it’s not necessarily realistic for Northwestern to get rid of it entirely or to ban it. So I think a lot of students think that, since it’s becoming so prevalent, it’s better to have a resource that the University has already deemed as safe to use and they won’t take the data from the students, rather than having students pay for services themselves or use other (generative AI platforms) that could be less safe to use.

EDWARD SIMON CRUZ: And one of your other stories this week concerned Rudy Arora, who’s been doing some work with generative AI. He had a startup. He recently got some funding for it. What’s he been up to these days?

CASSIE SUN: When I talked to Rudy, he said that he founded this startup and (he and his friend) officially launched it last December, and now I think it’s taking off, which is part of the reason why we did the story. Rudy said that the startup, TurboLearn AI, has reached half a million users, which is a huge deal. And I think it goes to show that students are really open to integrating AI into their classes.

The startup is a tool that, when students walk into lecture, they can record the lecture and then have notes automatically generated for them. So this includes flashcards; it includes quizzes, practice tests. And it’s a really helpful way that students can both listen in class without having to worry about catching every word the professor says, because they know they have this backup mechanism in place.

EDWARD SIMON CRUZ: That was Cassie Sun, an assistant campus editor, talking about some of the changes that have been swirling on campus related to generative AI.

Now, turning over to sports. No. 23 Indiana, we were going up against them in our conference home opener at the beautiful Martin Stadium. Unfortunately, 41-24 — the game wasn’t quite as beautiful as we might have wanted it to be. We were coming off of a bye week after that devastating loss to Washington two weeks ago. We got (graduate student running back) Cam Porter back. We were roaring. We were ready to go. Jake Epstein, Gameday editor, here with me today. What happened?

JAKE EPSTEIN: You know, first off, I just want to reiterate just how much of a privilege it is to be here. I’m so happy to be featured on The Weekly. You know, Edward, you — you run a great show, and I’m honored to be here.

But what happened? You know, the ’Cats came up against the hottest team in the Big Ten right now. I mean, the first bowl-eligible team in the country, 6-0. (Coach) Curt Cignetti has turned that Indiana team into a powerhouse and it was simply a — it was a game where Northwestern’s offense came to play, and few of us really expected that one just because in that game in Seattle, that was fortunately put on the back burner. (Sophomore quarterback) Jack Lausch and the offense just never got into gear. But yesterday as the game ran on, Jack Lausch, he looked like a Big Ten quarterback. He looked like he belonged going up against (Indiana quarterback) Kurtis Rourke, who statistically is one of the best passers in the country and the conference as well. And you know, the ’Cats, they held their own.

It was within three points late in the second half, and then the Hoosiers turned it on. Northwestern’s defense couldn’t stop anything, and that was unfortunate, really, because this is a defense that had kept this team at least competitive in the first four games of the season, but the defense was the weak link on Saturday.

And you know what that really shows me? It shows me that if they are to put together a complete game, four full quarters of complimentary football with the offense home and with the defense stopping opponents as we’ve seen them do against quality competition — like Duke with (quarterback) Maalik Murphy for the bulk of that game did not have his feet set, had to play his way into it and toward the end, of course, the defense got a little fatigued. The fatigue set in, and Duke was able to pull away in double overtime. But when you look at this defense, they have been the identity of this team. This defense has been spectacular at times.

They couldn’t really get the pressure on Rourke this Saturday, but I think if they can put together a complete game with the offense and the defense firing on all cylinders, this team could win several more games this season and perhaps push for what looks unlikely right now, but there could be four wins out there for them, four more wins for them to perhaps push for a bowl spot. Now, do I think that’ll happen? No, unfortunately, but, you know, never say never, and David Braun is someone that you never want to bet against. He’s the guy who can come in and really right a ship when it looks unsteady as it can be.

EDWARD SIMON CRUZ: That was Jake Epstein, our Gameday editor. We talked about this on Sunday night, so here he was doing a little Monday morning quarterbacking, so to speak, for Northwestern’s loss to No. 23 Indiana, 41-24, on Saturday. Northwestern will next be facing Maryland in College Park on Friday.

Here are the other top headlines from the week:

NU is no longer providing alumni interviews for prospective students. Applicants can now record an optional video or participate in the new Alumni Conversations program.

Evanston’s proposed 2025 budget is about $9 million less than its 2024 expenses. The budget includes support for the Capital Improvement Plan, which will fund maintenance and repairs for various public sites.

“Brat fall” came to Chicago for a day when Charli XCX and Troye Sivan rushed the United Center during their Sweat tour.

NU men’s soccer is back in the win column, defeating Trine today 4-0. The ’Cats are now 6-5.

And voting continues for Associated Student Government Senate elections. All 20 school senator seats are open. Voting closes today, Oct. 7, at 5 p.m.

From The Daily Northwestern, I’m Edward Simon Cruz. Thanks for listening to another episode of The Weekly. This episode was reported and produced by me, Cassie Sun and Jake Epstein.

The audio editor of The Daily Northwestern is me, Edward Simon Cruz. The digital managing editors are Carlotta Angiolillo and Sasha Draeger-Mazer. The editor in chief is Jacob Wendler.

Our theme music is “Night Owl” by Broke for Free, used under a Creative Commons Attribution License and provided by the Free Music Archive.

Follow us on X and Instagram @thedailynu. We’ll be back next Monday with another episode of The Weekly.

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Related Stories:

— Northwestern provides free access to ChatGPT 4.0 through Microsoft Copilot

— Football: Northwestern’s defense struggles in 41-24 loss to No. 23 Indiana

— Northwestern discontinues alumni interviews for undergraduate applicants

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton was speaking to reporters after the first official day of practice for his team in 2024-25 when he was asked a simple question: have any of your teammates stood out so far during minicamp and training camp?

With less than a second required to think, Haliburton replied. “Ben Sheppard has been ballin’,” he began. “Ben Sheppard has looked really good. I think he just looks more comfortable in his skin, more comfortable as an NBA player. I told him, ‘I don’t know what you did this summer, but keep doing that’.”

Sheppard, a second-year wing, was a late first-round pick in 2023. He steadily rose through the ranks with Indiana last year, starting the season as a deep bench player with most of his playing time coming in the G League. He then became a depth piece after Bruce Brown was traded away, then moved up the rotation ladder again after Buddy Hield was dealt. By the All-Star break, he was playing basically every night. When his teammate Bennedict Mathurin went down with a season-ending shoulder injury in March, Sheppard became a mainstay in the rotation, averaging over 19 minutes per game the rest of the regular season.

Even as a first-year player, he was relied on in the postseason. He played in all 17 of Indiana’s playoff games, including two starts during the Eastern Conference Finals. He knocked down 38% of his threes on that stage while taking nearly three per outing, and he hustled on defense. It’s rare that a rookie can be trusted in a postseason rotation, but Sheppard proved that he should play.

“He’s a very reliable player. Always goes hard, always does his job. [He] takes the right shots. Probably passes up shots he should take,” Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said of Sheppard. “[He] takes defense as seriously as offense. He’s very mature, and he’s always ready.”

Last year, Sheppard was so laser focused on making the right play and not making mistakes that he would pass up open shots. He tried to keep the ball, and himself, moving — a noble cause. But his teammates wanted him to let it fly. They bullied him into shooting more, and it paid off. In his first 28 games, he made 28.1% of his threes. That number grew to 33.3% in his final 29 outings.

Sheppard wants to build his game out from his first-year success. The confidence he is showing early in training camp is tangible, and he’s playing well enough that his teammates have noticed. He’s also grown on the court and feels more comfortable every day.

“I’d just say I have a bigger grasp of things,” Sheppard says of how he feels in year two. “Coming here last year, there’s a lot of intake and just learning the ropes of the NBA game. I feel more comfortable this year.”

Last year, Sheppard averaged 4.4 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game. The Pacers net rating and defensive rating were both better with Sheppard on the court than off of it. Even with typical per game numbers, his impact could be felt thanks to his low-mistake style.

This year, he hopes to improve upon that start to his career. Sheppard studied one of his teammates, Aaron Nesmith, to look at a key area where he thinks he can grow: attacking closeouts.

“I watched his tape this summer, just how aggressive he attacks closeouts and stuff like that,” Sheppard said of Nesmith. The game slowed down a ton for Nesmith last season. “Everyone’s attacking closeouts in the NBA, that’s just how the game is today.”

That study wasn’t just limited to Nesmith. Other Pacers players are effective at driving past wimpy closeouts and making plays. It’s an important trend in the NBA, and Sheppard noted that he looked at what Andrew Nembhard, Bennedict Mathurin, Pascal Siakam, and Tyrese Haliburton were doing in those situations. Nesmith, by being a wing who saw the game slow down last season, is perhaps the best comparison for Sheppard as a player, though. That deep dive is more meaningful.

The Belmont product has been ascending ever since a strong NBA Draft combine last summer. He popped on both ends during his pre-draft workout for the Pacers, and he’s been reliable ever since. The hope in season two is for more success.

“It’s just being more aggressive and making the right play,” Sheppard said of his growth. “I think I’m one of those players that plays within our offense and is able to get people into things by making the right play,”

Despite all of these notes, Sheppard’s spot in the rotation isn’t currently clear. He could be the backup two, or even the backup three. He might be on the outside looking in. Shooting and defense are immensely valuable skills, but different types of lineups have been operating as the second unit during training camp so far. Yet if Sheppard is an improved player, he should get playing time.

“I like Shepp,” guard Andrew Nembhard said of Sheppard on Sunday. “Shepp’s been hoopin’.”

Much of the focus on Indiana’s future is concentrated on their recent lottery picks. Sheppard’s future is similarly intriguing, though, and he’s ready for his second season with the Pacers.

On December 20, 2023, Curt Cignetti made a statement that’s followed him ever since.

Less than three weeks earlier, he officially took over as Indiana’s head football coach, and displayed extreme confidence seldom associated with the program he was joining. His introductory press conference on December 1 — along with his brash comments to the crowd at the IU men’s basketball game later that day — kicked off an offseason spent reinvigorating a fan base longing for gridiron success.

But his line during the Early Signing Day press conference became the quote printed on posters and slapped over social media graphics for the next 10 months and counting.

“I win. Google me.”

Halfway through his first season in Bloomington, Cignetti has managed to back that up.

He’s led Indiana to a start that only the most optimistic fans — and IU players and staff — saw as a plausible scenario entering the year: the Hoosiers are 6-0, the first team in the nation to secure bowl eligibility. It’s the program’s best start to a season in 57 years, and its best-ever start in its first year with a new head coach.

In less than a full calendar year, Cignetti has pumped both talent and belief into Indiana football that the program hasn’t seen in decades. He’s helped transform the Hoosiers from a Big Ten cellar dwellar into a top-25 team with a realistic path to 10 or 11 wins, which would rank among the greatest seasons in program history.

Cignetti has turned around programs at previous stops in his career at Elon and James Madison, and he has Indiana on the same trajectory.

“This is culture and mindset,” Cignetti said after Saturday’s win at Northwestern. “When you take over a program, the No. 1 thing you got to do is change the way people think. The way you play the game, your expectation level, your standards, how you do things, the fan base, what to expect, you’ve got to change the way people think. So we have a blueprint, we have a way we play, we’ve got character, we’ve got some talent. And they’re playing like all of our other teams have played in those situations.”

Indiana’s six wins haven’t been lucky, in any way. The Hoosiers aren’t narrowly pulling out these games. They’re not relying on fluky plays or favorable officiating. This is just a good football team. IU is among the best in the country in both total offense and total defense, and there’s still room to improve.

Indiana’s defense endured some struggles against Northwestern, as quarterback Jack Lausch caused some problems with his running ability and playmaking instincts. The defense had trouble getting off the field on some third and fourth downs, which kept the game close well into the fourth quarter. Linebacker Jailin Walker left the game with an injury during the first half and missed the remainder of the contest, which also created challenges.

Even with all that, IU minimized damage on many occasions. The Wildcats recorded 336 yards of total offense — the Hoosiers allowed fewer than 340 just twice last season. NU also finished with 93 rushing yards, the fewest by an IU opponent since week two.

Meanwhile, Indiana’s offense looks like an absolute juggernaut. IU has scored 40 points or more in each of the last five games, the first time in program history accomplishing that feat. The offense has consistently answered in big moments, when the team needs a touchdown.

Quarterback Kurtis Rourke has been remarkably efficient and accurate, calmly leading the Hoosiers downfield drive after drive. And his weapons and running back and wide receiver have more than picked up the slack when he’s been a little off. Elijah Sarratt is the Big Ten’s second-leading receiver after Saturday’s game, and has a real chance at becoming the eighth Hoosier to post 1,000 receiving yards in a single season.

Rourke completed 76 percent of his pass attempts against Northwestern — even with strong wind gusts — for 380 yards and three touchdowns. Sarratt caught seven passes for 135 yards. That connection is looking increasingly lethal for Indiana.

“You’ve got two committed, dependable guys,” Cignetti said. “Sarratt, he did maybe have his hands on one today that wasn’t complete. But they certainly do have that trust. But I think he’s got trust with a lot of those wideouts, which is why we’re rolling the way we are.”

The historic start’s obvious flaw is the relatively easy schedule IU has benefitted from. The non-conference slate featured one of the nation’s worst FCS teams and two Group of Five programs who entered Saturday ranked in the bottom 20 of ESPN’s SP+ rankings. The Hoosiers have yet to face a traditional Big Ten football power, and their three conference opponents have come against squads ranked in the bottom half of the Big Ten in the SP+ rankings.

Some fans and analysts may remain skeptical about Indiana until it faces tougher competition. Wins and good performances against Nebraska, Washington, Michigan, and/or Ohio State would see the IU bandwagon grow larger.

But context matters. Indiana has historically been the sort of weak opponent that good — or even average — teams would expect to defeat. The public wouldn’t become convinced of a team’s might just because it beat the Hoosiers; people would need to see more.

This IU team is on the other side of that paradigm.

That’s not enough for Cignetti — he may never be completely satisfied with his team. He could lead IU to a national championship, and he’d still be grinding about something his players could’ve executed even better.

But his Hoosiers are unquestionably off to a historic start, the type that will have fans dreaming big until proven otherwise.

Cignetti will continue preaching that his players avoid the “rat poison,” the outside hype that comes along with the uncharted territory he’s led the program to. The first half of the season has been great, but plenty of challenges await. The schedule gets harder, and fan attention and excitement will soon be split between football and basketball. Eventually, he’ll attempt to snap IU’s 33-year drought without a bowl game victory. He needs his players to remain locked in to overcome those obstacles.

But Curt Cignetti has a blueprint. And through his first six games in Bloomington, there’s no reason to question that plan.

For complete coverage of IU football, GO HERE. 

The Daily Hoosier –“Where Indiana fans assemble when they’re not at Assembly”

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