Evolution and challenges of ChatGPT in higher education: an analysis of the conceptualization and applications in the first six months of public access

The recent launch of ChatGPT for public use has advanced by leaps and bounds. This is reflected in the proliferation of tools based on Artificial Intelligence, including ChatGPT, which began in its GPT3 version and is currently in its GPT4o version. What challenges do higher education face in this scenario? This study aimed to examine the evolution of knowledge about ChatGPT in the first six months of open access and its implications for the learning structure (what is privileged in teaching, how these concepts are taught, and what those who teach should do) in higher education institutions. Using text mining and natural language processing (NLP) techniques, we examined the evolution of the conceptualization of ChatGPT generated in Wikipedia, analyzing and modeling the groupings, evolution of the conceptualization, and its uses in research in Higher Education through network analysis. The results revealed that (1) the textual descriptions of ChatGPT were primarily technical descriptions aimed at professionally educated users. That is, the terms used are understandable to native English speakers with at least 11 years of formal education, or the standard formal education of a first-year university student. 2) The research strongly focuses on concerns related to the use of ChatGPT, with few studies exploring its positive use in education. Further research is needed to explore the practical applications of the ChatGPT to benefit both students and teachers