Generative AI

Is using generative AI cheating?

Just like with other types of digital tools, how you use them is what is key in determining if it should be considered cheating. Two things to keep in mind:

• What applies to the course you're studying right now? Contact whoever is responsible for the course and ask if you are unsure.
• If you have used AI, are you transparent about that in your work? Have you described the way AI has supported you throughout your assignment?

Your teacher decides the rules regarding AI usage for every individual assignment in your course. It can differ depending on the assignment, learning objectives, and the teacher. If you are unsure what applies regarding AI use in your current assignment, make sure to ask the responsible teacher.

Using AI tools in order to understand technical tems, finding search terms, or creating images is okay since this type of usage supports your learning. Remember that you are studying in order to acquire knowledge, any other form of AI usage may be perceived as an attempt to cheat or cut corners.

It is always considered cheating to claim that something you have not written yourself is your own text, regardless if you got the text from a friend, a researcher, or had an AI tool write it for you. If you intend to use AI to write your text or solve your assignment for you, stop for a moment and think it through. Look up what is allowed in your current course. The consequences of cheating are dire, even if you don't consider what you have done to be cheating. Use your own sound judgement!

Academic integrity

In academia, we strive for transparency and reproducibility. Academic texts always include sections carefully describing the method used, as well as openly stating which other sources have been used as a base for the study (outside of the original research material). This is usually called referencing or citing and is important even when using AI generated material. 

Data collection and The Black Box

Univeral for all AI tools is that they need copious amounts of data in order to train and improve them. This data has to come from somewhere, but it's not always clear where the AI companies get this training data. It can also be difficult to see how the data (text or images) you feed these different tools will be used by the company that has developed the product.

A lot of AI tools (as well as search engines and social media) is built on secret algorithms, also known as a black box. You may get a lot of good answers from these AI tools, but at the university, the road to an answer is often just as important as the answer itself. This road is often hidden when using AI to search for information. This isn't always an issue, but it can be.

Different teachers and examiners will have different views on whether to let their students use AI or not, and in what way they allow the use of AI. It is your responsibility as a student to find out what is relevant for every single assignment.

Disciplinary measures

Similarly to other universities, Karstad University has a disciplinary board that decides in cases where a student is suspected of attempting to mislead their examiner in various ways. The board consists of representatives of teachers and students, a legally qualified member, and the vice-chancellor, who also serves as its chairperson.

If the disciplinary board decides that there is reason to suspect cheating, a student might get a warning or be banned from their studies for a number of weeks. Being banned for a number of weeks can have major repercussions for the individual student.