Using ChatGPT to Illustrate the Limitations of ChatGPT

This article examines how ChatGPT can be used critically within higher education to strengthen students’ academic judgement, information literacy, and evaluative skills rather than replace traditional academic practice. Through a classroom exercise comparing AI-generated answers with conventional search engine results, the article demonstrates how students can identify limitations in ChatGPT relating to depth, sourcing, usefulness, and factual accuracy. Focusing on a case study concerning the abolition of the death penalty in the United Kingdom, the article argues that structured engagement with generative AI encourages critical thinking and helps students navigate the growing presence of AI-mediated information in academic contexts, while also highlighting the risks of misinformation, overconfidence, and unsourced content inherent in large language models.