chatGPT – Richard Callaby

Academic Honesty in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: A New Era for Universities

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how we live, work, and learn. In education, tools like ChatGPT, Grammarly, and AI-driven writing assistants have opened up incredible opportunities for students to learn faster and work smarter. But they’ve also brought new challenges—especially when it comes to academic honesty. How do we navigate a world where students can ask an AI to write their essay or solve their problem set? And how can universities adapt to these changes while still encouraging integrity and learning?

These are big questions, and while there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, there are some clear steps universities can take to move forward.

How AI Is Changing the Game

Let’s be real: AI tools are everywhere, and they’re not going away. They can write essays, solve equations, generate code, and even create entire research papers. While these tools can make life easier, they also blur the line between “getting help” and “cheating.”

For example, if a student uses an AI tool to clean up their grammar, most people would see that as fair game. But what if they ask the AI to write the entire essay? Or to generate an answer without putting in much effort themselves? That’s where things get tricky.

To make matters more complicated, AI-generated content doesn’t look like traditional plagiarism. Instead of copying and pasting from an existing source, AI creates something entirely new—which makes it harder to detect and even harder to regulate.

What Can Universities Do About It?

This new reality calls for a fresh approach. Universities need to rethink how they define and enforce academic integrity while still preparing students to use AI responsibly. Here are a few ways they can tackle this:

Set Clear Guidelines
First and foremost, universities need to be crystal clear about what’s okay and what’s not when it comes to using AI. Are students allowed to use AI to help brainstorm ideas? To check their grammar? To write entire paragraphs? These boundaries need to be spelled out in policies that are easy for both students and faculty to understand.
Teach AI Literacy
If AI is going to be part of our everyday lives, students need to understand it. Universities can offer workshops or courses that teach students how AI works, what its limitations are, and how to use it ethically. The goal isn’t to ban AI but to help students use it responsibly—just like any other tool.
Rethink Assessments
Let’s face it: traditional assignments like essays and take-home tests are easy targets for AI misuse. To combat this, universities can design assessments that are harder for AI to handle. Think in-class essays, oral exams, or group projects. Even better, create assignments that require students to connect course material to their personal experiences or analyze real-world case studies. These types of tasks are harder for AI to fake and more meaningful for students.
Use AI to Fight AI
Interestingly, AI can also help universities maintain integrity. Tools like Turnitin are now being upgraded to detect AI-generated content. While these tools aren’t perfect, they’re a step in the right direction. Training faculty to use these technologies can make a big difference.
Collaborate, Don’t Punish
Instead of treating AI misuse like a crime, universities should focus on educating students about its ethical use. AI can be a powerful learning tool when used properly, and students need to understand that. Faculty can model responsible AI use by demonstrating how it can support—not replace—critical thinking and creativity.
Build a Culture of Integrity
Policies and tools can only go so far. What really matters is creating a culture where honesty and integrity are valued. This can be done through honor codes, open discussions about ethics, and mentoring programs where older students help younger ones navigate these challenges.

Moving Forward

Artificial intelligence isn’t the enemy—it’s a tool. Like any tool, it can be used well or poorly. Universities have a unique opportunity to embrace this shift, teaching students not just how to use AI but how to use it wisely.

By updating their policies, rethinking assessments, and fostering a culture of academic honesty, universities can ensure that AI becomes a force for good in education. The goal isn’t to resist change but to adapt to it in a way that upholds the values of integrity, learning, and critical thinking.

This is a big moment for education. If universities handle it right, they’ll prepare students to thrive in an AI-driven world—not just as users of the technology, but as ethical and innovative thinkers who know how to make it work for them.

The Dangers of Being Overly Reliant on ChatGPT – Why Programmers Are Still Necessary.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has made remarkable advancements in the past few decades, changing the way we live, work, and interact. Chatbots like ChatGPT have become a common feature on websites and messaging platforms, providing instant customer support and assistance. However, as impressive as these AI programs are, we should not become overly reliant on them and forget the importance of programming. In this article, we will discuss why it’s important to continue teaching programming skills and why relying solely on AI can lead to potential problems.

AI programs like ChatGPT are designed to provide quick and accurate responses to user queries. However, they are not perfect, and mistakes can happen. These mistakes could be due to errors in the programming, biased algorithms, or limited data. AI systems are only as good as the data they are trained on, and if the data is biased or incomplete, the AI system will make incorrect assumptions and give wrong answers. For example, a chatbot designed to provide customer support may not be able to provide accurate solutions to complex problems that require a deeper understanding of the product or service.

Furthermore, AI programs are not immune to hacking and cybersecurity attacks. Malicious actors can exploit vulnerabilities in AI systems to access sensitive information or cause havoc. For example, a chatbot used for financial transactions could be hacked, resulting in the loss of money and customer data.

Programming skills are essential for developing and maintaining AI systems. Programmers need to understand the intricacies of algorithms and data structures, how to write efficient and secure code, and how to troubleshoot and debug errors. Without programming skills, it’s challenging to create effective AI systems that can adapt to changing circumstances and provide accurate and reliable results.

Moreover, programming teaches critical thinking and problem-solving skills. It enables individuals to break down complex problems into manageable parts, identify patterns, and develop logical solutions. These skills are essential in various fields, such as science, engineering, and business.

While AI programs like ChatGPT have transformed the way we interact with technology, we should not become overly reliant on them. Programming skills are still essential for developing and maintaining AI systems and for fostering critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. By continuing to teach programming, we can ensure that we have the necessary skills to create robust and reliable AI systems and to adapt to the rapidly changing technological landscape.

ChatGPT and the future of Software Development.

ChatGPT is a new machine learning model developed by OpenAI that has the potential to revolutionize the way software is developed in the future. ChatGPT is a variant of the original GPT (Generative Pre-training Transformer) model, which is a powerful language model that can generate human-like text. ChatGPT, on the other hand, is specifically designed to generate chatbot responses in a conversational context.

One of the main ways in which ChatGPT could change software development is by automating certain tasks that are currently done manually by developers. For example, ChatGPT could be used to write code or generate documentation for a software project. This would not only save time for developers but also reduce the risk of errors or oversights that can occur when tasks are done manually.

Another potential use for ChatGPT in software development is in the testing and debugging phase. ChatGPT could be used to simulate user interactions with a software application, allowing developers to identify and fix issues more efficiently. This would be especially useful for testing complex or high-traffic applications, as ChatGPT could generate a large number of test cases in a short period of time.

Another area where ChatGPT could be useful is in customer service and support. ChatGPT could be used to create chatbots that can assist users with common issues or questions, freeing up human support staff to focus on more complex issues. This would not only improve the efficiency of customer support teams but also provide a better experience for users who may have to wait longer for a human response.

One potential concern with using ChatGPT in software development is the issue of bias. Machine learning models can often reflect the biases present in the data they are trained on, and this could be a concern if ChatGPT is used to generate code or other important aspects of a software project. To mitigate this risk, it will be important to ensure that ChatGPT is trained on a diverse and representative dataset.

Despite these potential benefits and concerns, it is important to note that ChatGPT is still a new and experimental technology, and it is not yet clear how it will be used in practice. It is likely that ChatGPT will be used in combination with other tools and technologies, rather than replacing human developers entirely.

Overall, ChatGPT has the potential to significantly change the way software is developed in the future. By automating certain tasks, improving the efficiency of testing and debugging, and providing better customer support, ChatGPT could help developers create better software in less time. However, it is important to carefully consider the potential risks and biases associated with this technology and to use it in a way that is ethical and responsible.