An MBA student from IIM Ahmedabad has sparked a heated debate online after revealing he used ChatGPT to complete a marketing project—and still earned an A+. In a LinkedIn post that quickly gained attention, student Yugantar Gupta shared his experience, highlighting how artificial intelligence played a central role in his academic success.
Gupta explained that while plagiarism is strictly forbidden at IIM Ahmedabad, the use of AI tools like ChatGPT is permitted. What surprised him—and many others—was that a fully AI-generated report would secure one of the highest possible grades at one of India’s most competitive business schools.
He emphasized how rare A+ grades are at the institute, often reserved for the top 5% of the class, and sometimes not awarded at all due to faculty discretion. Despite this, his AI-assisted submission managed to stand out.
The project involved studying consumer behavior in the cosmetics industry. To gather data, Gupta visited several stores at a nearby mall, closely observed customer interactions, asked questions under the pretense of shopping for a gift, and recorded his findings via voice notes. Once back on campus, he transcribed these notes and fed them into ChatGPT, providing it with the assignment’s requirements. The AI then generated the report—earning Gupta one of his best grades.
He used the post not just to share a personal win, but to reflect on how AI is reshaping academics. Even though tools like Turnitin identified the report as AI-generated, no action was taken against him. One professor reportedly remarked that since AI now excels at online research and writing, students should focus on collecting real-world insights—like interviews, surveys, and observations—that AI can’t replicate.
Gupta ended his post with key advice for students adapting to this AI-integrated learning environment:
- Let AI do the writing—focus your time on reviewing and refining.
- Instead of trying to make AI sound human, actually speak to people.
- Go beyond peer discussions—engage with professionals for deeper learning.
He closed with a quote by startup mentor Steve Blank: “Get out of the building”—a call to action for students to seek knowledge from real-world experiences rather than screens.
The post sparked mixed reactions. While some praised Gupta’s creativity and fieldwork, others were skeptical. One user admired the emphasis on original thinking and real-world engagement. Another pointed out the irony of avoiding the writing process but composing a well-written post about it and raised concerns over AI’s limitations and ethical boundaries.
