Generative AI for Students: Guidelines, Ethics, and Academic Integrity

Generative AI refers to a class of advanced artificial intelligence tools capable of creating novel content across various formats, including text, images, video, audio, code, and synthetic data. These systems operate by employing sophisticated machine learning algorithms that are trained on extensive datasets. Through this training, they learn patterns and structures from existing content, enabling them to generate new material that mimics the characteristics of their training data. The interaction with these tools often occurs through chatbot-style interfaces, designed to simulate human conversation. The text-based responses generated by these AI models can appear remarkably human-like, a direct result of their training on content produced by people. However, this sophisticated mimicry can sometimes obscure the distinction between human and machine-generated output, potentially leading to misunderstandings or an over-reliance on automated systems. It is crucial for users to remember that despite their advanced capabilities, these tools do not possess genuine understanding and should be approached with a critical mindset.

The use of generative AI is generally permitted to support students' academic pursuits. These tools can be highly beneficial for clarifying complex concepts, deepening understanding of subject matter, or even generating practice questions based on revision notes. To maximize the utility of generative AI outputs, students must provide detailed prompts that include context, such as their year of study and the specific academic discipline. It is paramount that students meticulously review all AI-generated responses for accuracy, reliability, and credibility. The university expects students to engage with generative AI tools ethically and responsibly, understanding their limitations regarding reliability and bias. The goal is to use AI as a supplementary learning aid, not as a substitute for personal learning and critical engagement. Learning to effectively, critically, and ethically utilize generative AI is increasingly recognized as a vital skill for future career readiness, and some modules may even integrate AI into their assessments and activities. Utilizing well-crafted prompts can significantly enhance the learning process.

The University mandates that all work submitted for assessment must be the original creation of the student, or the group in the case of collaborative assignments. In the absence of specific instructions from a module leader regarding AI use for a particular assessment, the understanding is that any submitted work represents the student's own original effort. The University views academic integrity as a paramount principle and takes academic misconduct very seriously, striving to rigorously protect its academic standards at all times. Under the Academic Integrity and Misconduct Policy, the unauthorized use of generative AI tools can be classified as: * **Plagiarism:** This occurs when text within an assessment is directly copied from an AI tool. Even if the text is subsequently modified using other AI tools (e.g., paraphrasing), it remains considered plagiarism. * **Falsification or Fabrication:** This involves using generative AI tools to create sources or data that do not actually exist. * **Contract-Cheating:** This refers to the use of generative AI tools to produce an entire assessment. Students suspected of academic misconduct will undergo thorough investigation. If misconduct is confirmed, the full range of sanctions outlined in the Academic Integrity and Misconduct Policy will be applied. It is crucial for students to understand these guidelines and use generative AI responsibly to prevent any breaches of academic integrity.

City, University of London and St George's, University of London recommend Microsoft Copilot Chat as a free and accessible generative AI tool for all students. Copilot leverages advanced AI models, including GPT-5, offering capabilities similar to ChatGPT-5. It can generate both text and images based on prompts that incorporate text, files, or images. Copilot retains conversation history, which is particularly useful for students who may be asked to produce this as part of their assessment submission if AI use was permitted. Students can access Copilot via m365copilot.com, its mobile apps (iOS/Android), or through the Microsoft Edge sidebar and Windows 11. It is crucial to log in using university credentials to ensure data security. When using Copilot with university credentials, Microsoft's enterprise data protection is applied, meaning entered data is kept private and is not used to train the underlying AI dataset. However, as with all generative AI tools, students should refrain from entering personal, sensitive, confidential, or copyrighted information. Beyond Copilot, a wide array of other generative AI tools are available. ChatGPT by OpenAI is one of the most recognized, offering a chatbot interface. Other tools are integrated into search engines, existing software suites (like Grammarly or Office 365), and computer coding editors. Most of these tools require account creation, which may be free or paid, with free accounts often having functional limitations. It is vital for students to familiarize themselves with the privacy policies of any AI tools they use, especially those that use user data for model training. Never submit personal, sensitive, confidential, or copyrighted materials into any generative AI tool.

Students seeking assistance with academic skills, writing, or navigating issues related to generative AI can access a range of support services. It is crucial to familiarize yourself with the University's Academic Integrity and Misconduct Policy. The Academic Skills team offers comprehensive support in areas such as referencing, critical thinking, academic writing, time management, revision techniques, and exam preparation. Library Services provides valuable guidance on citing and referencing, and students are encouraged to connect with their Subject Librarian to maximize the use of library resources. In the event of an Academic Misconduct allegation, students can seek advice from the Student Union Advice team. These resources are in place to ensure students can use AI tools responsibly and ethically, while also providing support for any academic challenges they may encounter.