Although many Russell Group universities have forbidden the use of ChatGPT for university submissions, others have highlighted the positive learning opportunities AI could offer should universities capitalise on its potential.
Several British universities, including Birmingham, Cambridge and Oxford, have firmly prohibited the use of ChatGPT for assessment submissions, under the consideration that such content violates academic integrity regulations. Despite widespread agreement that assignments generated through artificial intelligence cannot be considered a student’s original work, multiple universities are working alongside experts to increase their comprehension of ChatGPT’s limitations and potential. Glasgow University, for example, considers its capabilities as a day-to-day learning tool for those who use it transparently.
While Turnitin is developing software to identify the use of AI in essay submissions, universities are also seeking their own methods to check for plagiarism using ChatGPT.
Nottingham claims their markers are trained to observe changes in students’ styles of writing and have emphasised the penalties students will face should they be caught using ChatGPT. Similarly, Imperial suggests that those suspected of plagiarism will be subject to normal academic misconduct procedures, including authenticity interviews, in which students are questioned about their approach to the assignment or knowledge of the subject.
Multiple universities have been less explicit about their official policies towards ChatGPT. Among those is Newcastle University, which did not respond to The Tab’s enquiries regarding their position on the subject. Those without an updated policy that did respond claim to be reviewing current plagiarism policies.