Artificial intelligence alert: NGU is making changes to its policies
Jackson Gosnell, Staff Writer
It is no secret that all forms of technology are full of information, both bad and good. Advancements in technology have always posed risks but now new risks arise in terms of academic integrity. That is why North Greenville University has implemented an addendum to its academic integrity policy.
The addendum includes the use of artificial intelligence in the plagiarism section of the policy.
The addendum is effective immediately and will become a permanent revision per an email sent to all students. The policy now defines plagiarism as “using the intellectual property (e.g., books, articles, artwork, musical compositions, movies, drawings, ideas, and photos) of others, including artificial intelligence, without proper citation thereby giving the impression that it is the student’s own work.”
This comes as companies invest heavily in artificial intelligence. While there are some pros to artificial intelligence, it opens a wide range of options for cheating and academic dishonesty.
With these new forms of technology, people can go in and have artificial intelligence write a whole paper for them. The reason it’s harder to crack down on is because the paper that it generates is unique.
“We want the grades that you receive in your classes to reflect the work that you’ve done to learn that material,” said Provost Nathan Finn.
According to Dr. Finn, cheating by use of artificial intelligence has become a growing issue in higher education not just locally, but nationally as well.
A handful of students are having some of their papers and assignments written by this new technology. By doing that, students are failing themselves according to Finn.
“The bottom line is that cheating whether it’s plagiarism or any other form is dishonest, it’s disrespectful, and it’s detrimental,” said Finn.
Finn says he wants to urge students not to cut corners. If students cut corners now, they will have a harder time in the workplace and in society in the future.
While North Greenville University considers artificial intelligence bad when used by students for cheating, the school recognizes how cool this new technology can be and how beneficial it may ultimately become when used in an ethical way.
“It’s really cool technology, and so we want to make clear there’s lots of classroom application and were not even sure what all of those are yet…it’s really cool…but when it’s used in a way it’s not intended to be used, it becomes something that’s not good,” said Finn.
Many of the same companies that are creating this artificial intelligence software are the same ones who promise anti-plagiarism software soon.
Until that software becomes widely available, schools here at home and across the country are warning not to cheat using artificial intelligence while making clear they look ahead to what might be possible with the technology in the future.
Finn said, “I just want to be really clear that North Greenville is not against artificial intelligence, this technology has all kinds of uses and we look forward to spending the next few years figuring out all the cool and helpful ways that we can use it in the classroom. We are responding to the temptation to use it dishonestly, we’re not saying that A.I has no place in higher education, the sky is the limit for what we can do with it.”
