When ChatGPT hit the web in the fall of 2022, jaws dropped around the world. Suddenly, AI chatbots have gone from ridiculous to impressive—and a little scary. People are starting to predict that AI will kill education as we know it (we promise it won’t). Teachers were worried that students would use AI to do their homework and write their essays. And schools realized that maybe it was time to add a formal AI policy to their textbooks. Here’s what you need to know, and tips for writing a strong policy for your school.
What is AI-generated content?
Not quite sure what AI (artificial intelligence) generated content is? Let’s ask ChatGPT itself! Here’s what the program says in response to the question: What is AI-generated content?:
AI-generated content is any text, image, video, sound, code, or other media created in part or in whole by an artificial intelligence program rather than directly generated by a human.
Not all AI content is completely computer generated. Generally, a person uses generative AI (GenAI) as a tool to help them edit, revise, or create alternative text or images. In fact, using GenAI tools ethically and effectively is becoming an essential 21st century skill, one that schools will need to support as they prepare their students for the future.
Why do schools need an AI policy?
Schools need to create AI policies for the same reasons they have plagiarism policies: to help students understand what is acceptable and what is not. After all, we don’t tell students that they can never use someone else’s writings in their essays. Instead, we explain that they should always identify and properly cite any citations they use. This helps students understand that they cannot pass off someone else’s writing or ideas as their own, but they can use them to support their own thinking.
AI policy should do the same thing. AI isn’t really the enemy—it has many legitimate uses. But if students use AI to do all their work, they won’t learn what they’re in school to learn. And when it comes time to show their knowledge where the AI is not available to them (like a classroom test), they will likely fail.
Therefore, the school’s AI policy benefits both students and teachers. In its current form, AI technology is new to many users, and good policy helps children and their families know when and how to use it (and when to use it).
Is using AI the same as cheating?
Some have argued that fraud policies are sufficient to cover AI. And while the use of AI and cheating have a lot of overlap, there are important differences.
Plagiarism is copying someone else’s work and passing it off as your own. This can be intentional, but it can also happen accidentally when writers are not taught what plagiarism entails. Writers can avoid plagiarism by citing proper sources.
AI content is generated by the program, using sophisticated algorithms that draw from a variety of content available online. Depending on the program, the generated content may be written from another source without attribution. If an author uses this copied content in their work, they are also unknowingly plagiarizing.
Of course, the potential for accidental plagiarism isn’t the only concern with AI-generated content. But it’s important to let students know that this is one potential problem when using AI programs.
How do schools get started with AI policy?
Plagiarism policies have been around for a long time, but AI policies are fairly new and you may not be sure how to get started. Here are some steps you can take.
- Gather a team. Assemble a team that includes at least one person with a strong understanding of what AI technology can do. Others in the group may include administrators, teachers, students, parents, and legal advisors.
- Determine your goals. What do you want your AI policy to cover? Will it be separate from other policies, or will you incorporate it into your existing ethics and plagiarism policies? How detailed will your policy be?
- Review the examples. Look at the policies written by other schools (see below) and highlight the sections you want to include in your policy. You can ask ChatGPT or another AI content generator to create some text for you to consider.
- Develop a policy. Write an initial draft, and submit it to your school’s policy review process. Be sure to ask for feedback from teachers, students, and families.
- Edit, complete, and publish. Use the feedback you’ve gathered to make any necessary edits, and make sure your language is clear and concise. Publish it according to your school’s guidelines.
- Educate staff and students. Don’t rely on your policy alone to help everyone use AI responsibly. Spend time educating staff and students on the benefits and risks of using AI.
What should an AI policy for schools include?
A comprehensive AI policy requires more than just telling students “Don’t use AI to cheat.” Schools should be clear in their guidelines, helping everyone understand what is appropriate and what is not. These are some categories that may be included in your policy:
Appropriate Use of AI
There are many ways that students can use AI as a tool rather than a means of cheating. Include examples of Do’s and Don’ts in your policy to help make things clear.
DO:
- Use AI programs like intelligent search engines that present information in ways that are easy to read and understand.
- Ask AI programs for an explanation or explanations when you need help.
- Generate ideas, articles, and writing instructions using AI programs.
- Be transparent; interpret AI text and images correctly when using them in your work.
YOU CAN SAY:
- Use AI programs to avoid doing your job.
- Copy text or images into AI programs without proper annotation.
- Use AI text or images without fact checking and checking for potential plagiarism issues.
- Use AI if your teacher clearly forbids it.
Responsible use of AI
This section should outline the potential risks of using AI and what responsible use looks like. It should include safety warnings about sharing personal data with AI bots, and using them to invade the privacy of others.
Your policy should remind students that AI programs can have obvious biases and may present incorrect information. Whenever they use an AI system, they should think carefully and make sure they check the facts using primary sources.
Reporting and Results
Use this section to encourage readers to report any information they have about the misuse of AI. Also, lay out the possible consequences if staff find a student abusing AI. Will you include it in your cheating policies? Consider it a violation of ethics? Each school should determine its own academic integrity policies, and AI violations should be part of it.
Education and Awareness
Schools must commit to educating students and staff about advances in AI technology and their appropriate use. Consider requiring students to participate in an education on using AI at the beginning of each school year.
Your policy should also clearly state any ways in which the school itself uses AI systems, from data collection and analysis to automatically generated notifications, etc. Note the school’s commitment to using AI appropriately and safely.
Get your free AI policy template for schools, with all this information and more to guide you along the way!
Help your school better plan AI tools with these free programmable GenAI policy resources. Fill out the form on this page to download your copy.
Has your school written an AI policy, or are you working on one? Come share your ideas and ask for advice in the We Are Students HELPLINE group on Facebook.
Also, check out all of our AI in the Classroom resources here!
