What is the Difference Between Using AI for Assistance and Academic Cheating?
Individual schools, professors, and instructors set the limitations that determine when it is permissible for a student to use AI for assistance and when the use of artificial intelligence programs like ChatGPT becomes academic misconduct. In other words, AI cheating does not have a clear universal definition but depends on the circumstances.
So how can a student tell whether they’re about to cross the line from acceptable use to cheating? Here we explore the issues that go into making that determination and what a student can do if they’ve been accused of AI cheating.
What Does “Using AI for Assistance” Mean?
A legitimate use of AI for assistance would be any use that does not violate the rules established by the academic institution or the instructor for a particular assignment. Some examples where instructors commonly allow students to use AI for assistance include:
- Coming up with topic ideas
- Identifying grammatical errors
- Generating study questions or practice problems
- Helping a student to understand a complex concept
Students need to be aware that instructors may allow the use of AI tools for certain assignments but not for others. For instance, students may be permitted to use ChatGPT to analyze and provide feedback on a draft assignment at the beginning of the semester but not allow such use for a final assignment submitted near the end of the semester. The evaluation of whether a use constitutes cheating must be conducted based on the specifics of a particular assignment.
What is Considered AI-Assisted Academic Cheating?
Using AI can be considered cheating or academic misconduct when it fails to comply with rules set by the school or the instructor. It could also be a violation of general expectations for academic integrity, and thus violate policies that serve as baseline rules for the institution.
Students have been accused of AI cheating for:
- Submitting assignments where some or all of the content has been generated by AI
- Citing sources or data fabricated by AI
- Using AI to assist with answers to exams or assignments
- Failing to disclose the use of AI
The rules and limitations applicable to a particular assignment determine whether a student’s actions regarding that assignment can be considered misconduct. Unfortunately, the limitations and expectations are often not at all clear.
Why are the Rules About AI Cheating Often So Confusing?
While certain forms of academic misconduct such as plagiarism have standard definitions that can be applied with relative objectivity, the same is not true of rules regarding the use of AI, and that is one reason the rules are so confusing.
All plagiarism is wrongful. Copying another student’s work on a test is always academic misconduct. But the use of AI on an assignment could be permissible or wrongful depending on the standards established for that particular assignment.
The standards may be vague, and there may be more than one set of standards that applies in a particular situation. An academic institution’s student handbook may allow the use of AI for organizing outlines or evaluating a draft of an assignment, but the instructor may have different rules prohibiting such uses. Or vice versa.
What Should a Student Do if Accused of AI-Related Misconduct?
If a student has been accused of misconduct related to the use of AI, it is helpful to:
- Review the accusation in detail. Ask to have it put in writing if the accusation was made orally
- Determine precisely what rule or rules have allegedly been violated
- Obtain a full copy of all the applicable rules and analyze why the conduct in this situation may or may not have constituted a violation
- Save browser history, drafts, notes, and document revision history. Do not delete any information even if you believe it could be incriminating
- Learn whether the matter will be resolved through a meeting or formal hearing and what opportunities there may be for presenting evidence and arguments to refute the accusations
- Be certain to comply with any deadlines for responding or providing information
Because accusations of cheating affect your reputation and can leave permanent negative marks on your record, it is wise to take all possible steps to refute the allegations. An experienced student defense lawyer can be very helpful at this critical time.
FAQs About Using AI For Assistance
If you rewrite the content produced by AI does it still count as cheating?
While every situation is different, as a general rule, it does not become permissible to use work generated by AI just because you modified or paraphrased the text. However, AI-generated work could potentially be used as inspiration for work in some situations, depending on the rules applicable to the assignment and the percentage of work generated by AI.
What if a professor says that AI detection software provided that you were cheating?
AI detection software is commonly used to evaluate student work, but it should not be the only source used to definitively establish academic misconduct. Studies have demonstrated that AI detection programs can falsely flag work as AI-generated even when it was entirely written by a student. Imposing sanctions based solely on the findings of AI software could provide grounds for appealing a finding of responsibility for academic misconduct.
How can students use AI without violating academic integrity rules?
Students who want to avoid violating academic integrity rules while still taking advantage of AI assistance can protect themselves by:
- Asking the instructor if a particular use would be allowed (and keeping records of the answer)
- Reading AI policies thoroughly
- Following necessary procedures for citation or disclosure
- Verifying data and sources cited by AI. Programs have been known to “hallucinate” data
If You’ve Been Accused of Using AI Assistance Improperly, Talk to a Student Defense Attorney About Protecting Your Academic Record and Reputation
There is a tremendous difference between AI use and AI misuse. Some use of AI is likely to be permitted for assistance, but it is essential to know when assistance may cross the line into misconduct. It is best to find that line before turning in an assignment. But if you’ve already been accused of misconduct, the knowledgeable student defense team at Nesenoff & Miltenberg may be able to help you refute the allegations and embark on a strategy to preserve your reputation and future opportunities.
To schedule a confidential consultation to learn more about the ways we can help you reach a positive outcome when your academic integrity has been called into question, contact us online or call 212-736-4500.