Artificial Intelligence (AI): Tools and Resources

Academic Integrity and Generative AI

Academic integrity is a critical aspect of education that centers on honesty, trustworthiness, and ethical conduct in academic pursuits. When it comes to generative AI, academic integrity is relevant in several ways:

1. Plagiarism: One of the most significant concerns is plagiarism. If a student uses generative AI to create academic papers, essays, or other assignments without proper attribution or understanding of the content, it can be considered plagiarism. Plagiarism involves presenting someone else's work as your own, and when AI generates content, it may be difficult to distinguish it from the student's original work.

2. Citation and Attribution: Academic integrity requires students to properly cite and attribute the sources they use in their work. When using generative AI to assist in research or content creation, students should ensure that they give credit to the AI tool or the sources it was trained on if relevant.

3. Understanding the Material: Academic integrity encourages students to engage with and understand the material they are studying. If generative AI is used to create assignments without the student actually comprehending the content, it undermines the educational process and ethical principles.

4. Cheating: Some educational institutions may consider using generative AI to complete assignments as a form of cheating. Cheating involves gaining an unfair advantage over other students, and using AI to generate content without understanding or contributing to the work can be seen as dishonest.

To maintain academic integrity while utilizing generative AI, students should:

• Clearly disclose if AI was involved in the creation of their work.
• Ensure that AI-generated content is properly cited.
• Use AI as a tool for assistance rather than a substitute for understanding and critical thinking.
• Adhere to their educational institution's policies on the use of AI in academic work.

Educational institutions and instructors also need to be aware of the potential for AI-related academic misconduct and establish clear guidelines and policies to address these issues. Balancing the benefits of AI technology with the principles of academic integrity is essential for ethical and effective education.

Further Reading: Academic Integrity and AI