Artificial Intelligence (AI)

While instructors at UM are allowed to determine their own AI policies, it's important to clearly communicate your course policy and AI philosophy with your students through a syllabus statement. Students will encounter many differing policies across their classes, so provide them with written documentation of your policy that they can reference later.

From the UM Provost:

"The best approach is to teach students that their human capacity for thought, imagination, and feeling far exceeds the ability of generative AI to create content and solve complex problems. Students need to learn the utility and limitations of Generative AI through preemptive instruction and corrective assessment. This is vital preparation for their future careers where AI will likely be ubiquitous. Misconduct investigations and official sanctions should be reserved for clear violations."

Generally, instructors are encouraged to:

1. Include a syllabus statement addressing use of AI tools.
2. Clearly explain the rationale behind their policy as it relates to the work of the course or discipline.
3. Create a constructive and transparent learning environment where students can ask questions about AI.
4. Help students avoid situations in which they unintentionally engage in academic dishonesty while using AI tools (through guidelines, discussion, demonstration, etc.).

Banning use of GenAI can be very difficult to enforce, and most likely won't prevent cheating. 77% of students are somewhat to extremely likely to use GenAI despite bans¹. Complete bans may cause students to develop bad habits in their use of GenAI and prevent them from learning essential considerations (e.g. privacy, bias, environmental, transparency, accountability).

¹ Bharadwaj, P., Shaw, C., Henry, A., Martin, S., Janson, N., & Bryant, G. (2024, June). Time for Class - 2024. Tyton Partners

Classroom AI policies will typically align with 3 categories. What one do you most align with?

1. Use is totally prohibited.
2. Use is allowed only as directed by the instructor.
3. Use is allowed and encouraged.

Use the worksheet below for example syllabus statements for each of the three classroom policies and important questions for you to consider.

Syllabus guidance at other institutions

Articles

Books