Can ChatGPT Generate Code to Support a System Sciences Bachelor’s Thesis?

Sammanfattning: Background ChatGPT is a chatbot released in November 2022. Its usage has grown to include being used in academia and for scientific writing, with varying results. We investigate if ChatGPT can be used for the technical part in a Bachelor’s thesis in System Sciences. Aim We evaluate if it is possible to generate the code for detecting potential gender bias in previous responses from ChatGPT, in the form of a dialogue. Method We use an exploratory case study where an iterative dialogue with ChatGPT is used to generate Python code to be able to analyse previous responses made byChatGPT. The methods for development were chosen by the authors from suggestions by ChatGPT. Results Two separate dialogues resulted in a program that combined a fine-tuned Natural Language Processing model together with sentiment analysis and word frequency analysis. The program successfully identified responses in the dataset as having a female or male gender bias or being gender neutral. Conclusions ChatGPT serves as a powerful tool for coding, although it currently falls short of being a one-stop solution that can generate code sufficient for more complex tasks witha single prompt. Our experience suggests that ChatGPT accelerates one’s work when the user possesses some programming knowledge. With further development, ChatGPT could transform coding workflows and increase productivity in related fields. Implications ChatGPT as a tool is very capable in supporting students in the technical aspect of a Bachelor’s thesis and it is not unreasonable to assume that it works in other contexts, as well. As such, one can achieve more with the tool than without, and consequently it would be for the better to integrate ChatGPT into thesis work. This stresses the point that we need to find better regulations for cheating and plagiarism.