Exploration of Generative AI tools for an Electric Circuits Course

The Electric Circuits Concept Inventory (ECCI) is a set of multiple-choice questions that measures students’ understanding of DC Circuit analysis. The topics include (i) fundamental conceptual circuit topics (ii) Circuit laws and (iii) Circuit analysis techniques. The ECCI has been quite useful for student learning. In this paper, we explore the usefulness of generative AI (GAI) tools such as ChatGPT for teaching an Electric Circuits course. Does ChatGPT understand basic electrical circuits and know Kirchoff’s laws? We present various kinds of Electric Circuits problems and diagnose how successfully ChatGPT is able or unable to solve them. We attempt to answer the question: "Can ChatGPT be a useful tool to help students learn Electric Circuits more easily?". How good are the results of such Generative AI tools ? We present ideas on how the Electric Circuits Concept inventory can be enhanced using ChatGPT for student learning. Finally, the paper will also discuss the rules and regulations universities have deployed for student academic integrity and learning in the age of AI.