In April of 2023, Boston University, UC Berkeley, Stanford University, and other schools nationwide rolled out new policies on using generative artificial intelligence before final exams and papers for the 2022-23 academic school year. The move wasn't unexpected. Since the launch of Chat GPT, Bard, Stable Diffusion, and other AI content generators beginning in November of 2022, educators across the country have engaged in a lot of hand-wringing about the impact that AI will have on student assignments, senior theses, the learning environment, and campus honor codes.

The reality is that AI is here to stay, even if some colleges are reluctant to accept how generative AI can help many students learn and research. But if you're accused of cheating or plagiarism by using AI on a senior thesis, the consequences can be serious, endangering your degree and your future career. That's why you should discuss the matter with attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and the experienced Education Law Team at the Lento Law Firm.

Is Using AI Really Plagiarism?

While university policies generally vary, most agree that using AI-generated material is cheating or plagiarism. For example, Stanford's AI policy makes “using generative AI tools to substantially complete an assignment or exam” analogous to receiving assistance from another person, an honor code violation. However, the school's policy does allow individual professors to make clearly stated exceptions to the school's general ban on using generative AI.

But some colleges take a more nuanced approach. Boston University's new AI policy adopts “commonsense limitations” to using AI rather than a blanket ban. Students must credit the use of AI even if they use the tools only to generate ideas. Other limits include:

• Incorporating an appendix showing the entire AI exchange and highlighting relevant sections,
• No AI use during in-class exams or assignments unless expressly permitted by the professor,
• Using AI detectors before submitting an assignment to ensure an AI detector won't improperly flag a submission,
• Using AI tools wisely.

While new AI policies can seem overwhelming, your school and professors also have some responsibilities. For example, in a recent Inside Higher Education opinion piece, educators Ekin Yasin and Daniel Dolan suggested that schools and college professors should quickly create clear generative AI policies for their classes to ensure students understand newly developed boundaries. Professors should inform students exactly when it's acceptable to use AI as a learning tool and when it's not.

The Problem with AI Accusations?

Shortly after the launch of Chat GPT, many companies launched AI detectors that promised to let you know if a portion of a paper may have been generated with AI. The problem is that these so-called AI detectors, just like their generative AI counterparts, don't always respond with 100% accuracy. An AI detector could easily inform a professor that one paragraph of your senior thesis has a 30% chance of being AI-generated. Because AI generators, and therefore AI detectors, are trained using writing created by actual humans, you could face unfounded cheating accusations simply because your writing is too good or has a more academic tone.

You Need Skilled Legal Guidance for Your Texas High School Expulsion

The consequences can be serious if you're accused of improperly using generative AI on a senior thesis. Honor code violations can result in failing grades, suspension, expulsion, or even the loss of a college degree. Don't let your college dismiss your hard work without a fight. Attorney-Advisor Joseph D. Lento and the experienced Education Law Team at the Lento Law Firm can help. They've been helping college students like you across the country for years, and they can help negotiate with your school, evaluate the flaws in an accusation against you, and help you before your school's disciplinary board if necessary. Call them today at 888-535-3686 or contact the Lento Law Firm online to schedule your consultation.