Developing an AI Syllabus Statement & Driving Class AI Discussion

It’s important to have a conversation with students regarding how you expect them to use (or not use) AI tools in your course. The guidance you provide should align with other ethical standards expected of students in your course. You may want to refer to the Academic Integrity: Overview from the NC State University Office of Student Conduct and align any statement with the same spirit of academic integrity. As of August 2024, there is no official university policy regarding AI use. See also the NC State Office of Faculty Excellence: Navigating the Landscape of Higher Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence site and additional recommendations from across the UNC System in this database.

Sample AI Usage Syllabus Statements

The following statements are adapted from conversations with a variety of generative AI tools using policies from a variety of universities to jump-start the statements. Each of these statements can be edited and customized for your coursework and preferences. You may want to consider having policies/statements for each assignment rather than an overall policy. Some instructors simply consider AI use to fall under the general academic integrity guidelines.

Most Restrictive

Use of AI Tools: This course requires you to complete various assignments that assess your understanding and application of the course content. You are expected to do your own work and cite any sources you use properly. You are not allowed to use any artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as chatbots, text generators, paraphrasers, summarizers, or solvers, to complete any part of your assignments. Any attempt to use these tools will be considered academic misconduct and will be dealt with according to the university’s academic integrity policy. Students are expected to complete all work independently and without the assistance of AI-generated content. If you have any questions about what constitutes acceptable use of AI tools, please consult with the instructor before submitting your work.

Moderately Restrictive

Use of AI Tools: This course permits you to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as chatbots, text generators, paraphrasers, summarizers, or solvers, to get guidance on assignments, as long as you do so in an ethical and responsible manner. Essentially, you can think of these tools as ways to help you learn but not to entirely create work for assignments like discussion board posts, essays, presentation slides, and so on. AI is more like your tutor or TA, not a replacement for your independent thinking.

This means that you must:

  • Not use AI tools to replace your own thinking or analysis or to avoid engaging with the course content.
  • Cite or explain any AI tools you use. Provide the name of the AI tool, the date of access, the URL of the interface, and the specific prompt or query you used to generate the output. 
  • Be transparent and honest about how you used the AI tool and how it contributed to your assignment. Explain what you learned from the AI tool, how you verified its accuracy and reliability, how you integrated its output with your own work, and how you acknowledged its limitations and biases.

You are accountable for any mistakes or errors made by the AI tool. Always check and edit the output before submitting your work. If you discover any inaccuracies or inconsistencies in the output after submission, notify the instructor immediately and correct them as soon as possible.

Using AI tools in an unethical or irresponsible manner, such as copying or paraphrasing the output without citation or transparency, using the output as your own work without verification or integration, or using the output to misrepresent your knowledge or skills, is considered a form of academic dishonesty and will result in a zero grade for the assignment and possible disciplinary action. If you have any questions about what constitutes ethical and responsible use of AI tools, please consult with the instructor before submitting your work.

NOTE: Some instructors will also list specific acceptable and unacceptable uses or include a statement like “All written assignments, projects, and exams must be completed independently.”

Least Restrictive

Use of AI Tools: In this course, students are encouraged to explore and utilize generative AI tools, such as chatbots, text generators, paraphrasers, etc., as part of their learning and coursework. These tools can be valuable for brainstorming, drafting, and enhancing your understanding of the material. However, it is important to critically assess and cite any AI-generated content used in your assignments and projects. Students are expected to demonstrate their own understanding and critical thinking in their final submissions. Proper attribution and transparency about your usage of an AI tool are expected.

We may also integrate AI Tools into some of our assignments. Here are some examples of ethical and responsible generative AI use.

  • Use AI tools only for tasks that are appropriate for your level of learning and understanding. Do not use AI tools to replace your own thinking or analysis, or to avoid engaging with the course content.
  • Cite any AI tools you use properly, following the citation style specified by the instructor. APA Example:
    • OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat
  • Provide evidence of how you used the AI tool and how it contributed to your assignment. Explain what you learned from the AI tool, how you verified its accuracy and reliability, how you integrated its output with your own work, and how you acknowledged its limitations and biases.
  • Take full responsibility for any mistakes or errors made by the AI tool. Do not rely on the AI tool to produce flawless or correct results. Always check and edit the output before submitting your work. If you discover any inaccuracies or inconsistencies in the output after submission, notify the instructor immediately and correct them as soon as possible.
  • If you are working on a group assignment, discuss the use of AI tools with your group members and agree on how you plan to use them and how you will be transparent with the instructor regarding their use.

If you have any questions about what constitutes ethical and responsible use of AI tools, please consult with the instructor before submitting your work.

Questions to Consider When Developing Your Own AI Syllabus Statement

  • Does your statement cover different types of assignments, i.e., tests, essays, presentations, group work, etc.? Or, do you want to have discussions with students and separate policies/guidelines for individual assignments and group assignments?
  • Do you want to ask students to verify or check sources of information used by an AI tool when possible?
  • Do you want to ask students to consider representation in any AI responses that they use in their work?
  • Do you want students to cite or share AI use and how/when should they do that?
  • Do you need a full statement for only AI use or can it be wrapped into an academic integrity policy?

Example Syllabus Statements From Various Institutions and Instructors

Discussing the Ethics of AI Use With Students

Consider summarizing for students at the beginning of the semester some of the positive uses of generative AI and some of the negatives and problems with using generative AI. You may want to ask some guiding questions to engage students in a discussion about AI use.

Positive aspects of AI useConcerning aspects of AI useGuided Discussion Questions
Generate blog posts, emails, social media posts, or website content and more based on keywords, topics, or dataGender and Racial Bias in AIHow can AI tools like ChatGPT and Grammarly AI help people with their writing?

What are some of the concerns about gender and racial bias in AI tools?

How can we mitigate gender and racial bias in generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini?
Create lesson plans and example problem sets, examples of content, etc., for students.Students may cheat, and AI may generate false dataWhat are the ethical implications for using AI tools for content creation in courses?

What kind of citation or credit should be expected of instructors and students in our course when AI tools are used?
Exploring new forms of art and media from AI-generated images and creative worksDiminished human creativity and expression and copyright or intellectual property concerns with how AI systems are “trained.”What are some of the potential benefits of using AI tools for art and media creation?
How can we ensure that AI tools are used in a way that benefits human creativity?
Reduction in errors in basic coding, writing samples, and so on
Lack of basic skill development{These basic skills} are important in our field. How can we both use AI tools in our course while ensuring students learn basic skills to be able to grow as an expert in the field?

How can we ensure that AI tools are used in a way that promotes basic skill development, including {important basic skills}?
Ideas for discussing positive and concerning aspects of AI use with students

More Questions for Discussion

Consider having a discussion with students and creating some course norms and guidelines together.

  • How do you think generative AI can be applied to the course assignments in this class?
  • Can you share any specific examples of generative AI being used in educational settings?
  • Additional questions created by ChatGPT

Ideas for Activities

  • Class Debate: Divide the class into two groups, one representing the proponents of using generative AI for course assignments and the other representing the opponents. Have each group research and prepare arguments to support their stance. Conduct a structured debate where students present their points and counter-arguments.
  • Case Studies: Assign students to research real-world examples where generative AI has been used in different fields of study, such as writing, art, or coding projects. Have them analyze the outcomes, benefits, and potential drawbacks of each case. Encourage discussions on ethical implications and impact on creativity. Examples:
    • Healthcare – Generative AI used to develop new drugs, treatments, design devices, provide chatbot art therapy, and more.
    • Finance – automate trading, develop new products, detect fraud
    • Arts – creating new works
    • Marketing – a day in the life of a marketing team using AI tools
  • Ethical Dilemmas: Present students with hypothetical scenarios where the use of generative AI could be considered both advantageous and problematic. Encourage them to explore the ethical considerations, potential biases, and implications for originality and creativity. Examples.
  • Brainstorming Sessions: Hold brainstorming sessions where students collectively explore potential applications of generative AI for solving real-world problems or enhancing creative outcomes. Discuss the implications of these ideas and how they could be integrated into coursework.

Guidance for Citing AI Tools

Resources

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