Academic Hiring's AI Ban: A Postdoc Argues ChatGPT Restrictions Discriminate Against Neurodivergent Scholars

I was told that I could not use any external aids, including ChatGPT, during my chalk talk. I was told that I had to rely solely on my own knowledge and abilities. I was told that this was to ensure a 'fair and equitable' evaluation of all candidates.

What the search committee failed to understand is that my brain does not work the way theirs does. I am neurodivergent. I have ADHD. I have anxiety. And ChatGPT is not a crutch — it is a tool that helps me organize my thoughts and communicate them effectively.

By banning AI tools, we are not ensuring fairness. We are ensuring that only certain types of minds — neurotypical minds, minds that can think on their feet, minds that can organize information linearly in real-time — are allowed to succeed.

The chalk talk is not a test of knowledge. It is a test of performance. And like any performance, some people are naturally better at it than others. The question is whether we want to select for natural talent or for the ability to do the job.

If we truly want to diversify the professoriate, we need to start by diversifying what we mean by 'merit.' And that means recognizing that different minds work differently — and that different tools can help different minds do their best work.