The last decade has seen an explosion in AI and a consequent explosion in college students use of AI to cheat. If you're a student, though, you should know that the last five years have seen an explosion in AI detection software--AI designed to spot the use of AI.
Fair enough. We're not here to advocate that you should be allowed to cut corners when it comes to coursework. There are a couple of problems with how colleges and universities are behaving, though. First, despite claims from companies like Copyleaks that they can identify AI with something like 99 percent accuracy, these programs can get things wrong. Really wrong.
The other problem is that in the midst of all this chaos—AI cheating and AI detection—schools have become trigger-happy when it comes to accusing students and unreasonably harsh in imposing sanctions on students who maybe did make mistakes.
If you've been accused of misconduct over a Copyleaks report, we're here to help. The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team is dedicated to protecting student rights. Over the years, we've defended hundreds of students from all kinds of charges. We're very aware of technology issues on campus and controversies over AI in particular. We know how to talk to faculty and administrators, but make no mistake: we are fierce when it comes to pursuing our clients' interests.
What can we do for you? Find out by calling 888-535-3686, or take time right now to tell us about your case.
What is Copyleaks?
Like a lot of AI programs these days, Copyleaks is always adding new tasks to its list of abilities. It was created, though, to help catch the use of AI to produce text. A number of companies use it to ensure that their employees are producing their own writing. College campuses are using it to catch students using AI to complete their work for them. To help get more schools on board, the company has made sure it integrates smoothly with a variety of educational platforms, from Blackboard to Moodle.
Supposedly, Copyleaks uses sophisticated algorithms and analytical software to detect AI use in writing samples. It not only provides a full report on where AI appears in a work but also explanations as to how it came up with its information. That can be very appealing to faculty and administrators frustrated over what seems like a losing battle against cheating and plagiarism.
An Imperfect Record of Detection
Look, Copyleaks wants to sell its product, and it's competing with a number of plagiarism detectors including Turnitin and GPTZero. Of course, it's going to claim a high percentage rate. Of course, it's going to insist that it accurately discovers cheaters and never gets things wrong.
Unfortunately, claims like these are necessarily exaggerated. We're all worried about just how smart AI has become in recent years, but if you've ever played with this technology, you know just how unreliable it can sometimes be. It's particularly shaky when it comes to making judgments about human work. Sure, the right program can create a passable sonnet in the style of Shakespeare, Milton, or Donne. Ask it to evaluate the relative merits of those three writers, though, and it struggles.
Can it tell if you wrote your sociology paper or if you got ChatGPT to do it? Not with 100 percent accuracy. And you can be sure it will make mistakes if it's trying to sort out whether you got ideas from ChatGPT, or asked an AI translator to translate a passage in Spanish from a website, or used Grammarly to check your comma usage. The bolder the Copyleaks claims, the more likely it is that faculty and administrators will believe plagiarism reports, and when that happens, innocent students can wind up accused.
What Do You Do If You're Accused?
A single allegation of academic misconduct has the power to disrupt your studies, and it can have long-term consequences on both your academic and professional careers. Remember that colleges and universities are anxious to respond decisively to AI cheating, and that has resulted in serious sanction inflation. Where in the past a first offense might earn you a lower grade on an assignment or a lower course grade, recent AI cases have resulted in suspension and even outright dismissal at schools across the country.
Guilty or innocent, you deserve fair treatment and you deserve a fair sanction. So what do you do if you should find yourself accused of plagiarism by a Copyleaks report?
Whatever the charges, whatever the situation, you always have the right to due process. School policies almost universally ensure the presumption of innocence (“not responsible”). No school can proceed against you without evidence to substantiate charges. You are entitled to defend yourself at a hearing.
It's not always easy to navigate disciplinary procedures, though. A campus investigation and hearing aren't the same as a criminal investigation and trial. For instance, the standard of responsibility (guilt) on campus is usually “preponderance of the evidence” rather than “beyond a reasonable doubt.” And while you have a number of important rights, you have to know how to use them effectively if they're going to do you any good. You always need a Lento Law Firm attorney in your corner to make sure you're treated fairly and that you get a just resolution to your case.
Protecting Yourself and Your Future
The simplest way to avoid an AI plagiarism charge is to avoid using AI inappropriately. Ultimately, we'd encourage you to use technology only in the way it was intended. That won't always prevent a charge, though. So, what do you do if, despite your best efforts, trouble comes looking for you?
- First, don't overreact. All too often, when people overreact to accusations, they wind up doing or saying things they regret. You don't want to damage your defense before it even begins. Take all allegations seriously, but trust in the process to clear you of charges.
- Keep everything associated with the case, including all of your work. It's actually a good idea these days to hold on to all of your coursework. You can never tell when a freshman comp essay you wrote may be exactly what you need to prove you're a better writer than GPTZero thinks you are.
- Most importantly, contact the Lento Law Firm as soon as possible. The issues related to AI cheating and plagiarism can be difficult to unravel, and you're going to need all the help you can get to work your way through your school's judicial processes.
The Lento Law Firm has helped hundreds of students defend themselves from college and university charges. We can help you to do the same. Call 888-535-3686 today, or take time right now to fill out our online form.
