Can I use AI tools for my assignments?
AI technology is developing all the time and there is now a wealth of choice in AI-assisted tools that can help with assessments.
The short answer to the above question is sometimes, because it depends what you are using the tools for.
You may be required to use AI tools as part of an assignment, but if their use is not specified, in order to decide if you are able to use them, you need to be aware of what is appropriate use, and what the issues might be if you do use them, particularly for generative AI (GenAI) tools.
What is generative AI (GenAI)?
Generative artificial intelligence is a creative tool that will form written, aural or visual content. The content is generated when the user gives the tool written prompts.
Popular GenAI include ChatGPT, Google Gemini (formerly Google Bard) and Microsoft Copilot (formerly Bingchat) for written content, and Midjourney and DALL-E for image generation.
How do they work?
They are what's called Large Language Models (LLMs), which are "high-powered pattern recognition machines. The output they generate in response to a query is generated via probability: each word or part of an image is selected based on the likelihood that it appears in a similar image or phrase in its database" (Haggart, 2024, para. 5).
Haggart, B. (2024, June 12). Google’s use of AI to power search shows its problematic approach to organizing information. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/googles-use-of-ai-to-power-search-shows-its-problematic-approach-to-organizing-information-231036
For more information about the potential harms of generative AI, see this post from the Office of the Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisor.
Our recommendation: Duck Duck Go AI chat. It anonymises your chats, so that private information is kept private, and it doesn't use data for training.
Do not use Generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, or Microsoft Copilot to check or improve the quality of your writing for the following reasons:
1. Privacy and security: Anything you input into these AI models may be used for data training or sold to third parties. This means any personal information about yourself or anybody else you have included in your assignment is at risk of being freely available as 'searchable' information, or onsold to advertisers. Parts of your work could also be generated as an output to other users of the AI model.
2. Turnitin AI count: You will get a very high, if not 100%, AI count.
3. Paraphrasing risks: Your work must be your own words in your own voice. It may be very tempting to get AI tools to improve your writing, but anything beyond spelling and grammar checks may be considered plagiarism (not your own work).
Tools you can use
1. Use the spelling and grammar checks in Word. Avoid Add-in tools. These writing assistants go beyond spelling and grammar, and using them may be considered plagiarism (not your own work).
2. Grammarly is an approved tool for checking spelling and grammar. See our advice on using Grammarly safely and which tools inside Grammarly to avoid.
Using tools like Grammarly for improving assignments
Grammarly is an approved tool. It does use AI to detect areas of your work that need improvement, so it will produce an AI count via Turnitin. However, kaiako are aware of this and take it into consideration when reviewing AI use percentages.
You do not need to reference Grammarly if you use it for spelling and grammar only.
Appropriate use of Grammarly for assignments
Use Grammarly in the following way to avoid issues around academic misconduct:
1. Turn off automatic suggestions that occur as you write - in other words, complete the first draft of your assignment without any help from Grammarly.
2. Save this draft and keep it as a raw (untouched by Grammarly) document that you can produce as proof of your original work if you are interviewed by your kaiako about AI use.
3. Use Grammarly for spelling and grammatical checks only by uploading your document to your Grammarly account.
4. Save the edited version as a separate document to your original one.
Inappropriate use of Grammarly for assignments
You must produce writing that has been written by you and is in your own voice. Grammarly has new AI functionality, that if used, would produce writing that would not be considered your own.
Grammarly tools to avoid:
Using Quillbot or other paraphrasing tools
Quillbot is a paraphrasing tool. Using it is considered inappropriate use of AI. Remember, your assignment must be your own ideas in your own words. This is because you must demonstrate you understand the ideas and concepts you are writing about.
By using Quillbot, you are not demonstrating to your tutor that you have understood the concepts in the original source.
Using reference managers
Reference managers, like Zotero, Mendeley and Endnote, are approved tools. They will produce an AI count in Turnitin, so make sure you add them to any AI Declaration of Use Statement you are required to give.
Unfortunately, popular free generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini are not reliable search engines. They work by making predictions based on data they have been trained on, rather than retrieving live information.
Do not use them for finding information, because you will have to fact-check everything, which is a lot of work.
However, there are reliable AI tools that can help with certain types of research projects, including literature and systematic reviews.
For internet searching, use Microsoft Copilot, but be sure to click on the citations so that you use information directly from the original source.
For AI research tools for academic research purposes see our AI for research page.
Turnitin's AI detection tool
Turnitin runs an AI detection report that is not shown in the Similarity Report (i.e. students don't have access to it). Only tutors receive the report.
What does it do?
It detects the percentage of text that is likely to have been:
A result of 20% or below is discounted, but your tutor may choose to investigate a result of 20% or higher.
The report is only one consideration for any potential investigation. Tutors will use other factors, like past work, before deciding if a conversation around potential AI use needs to take place.
An example of the report:
Source: Turnitin. (2024). AI writing detection in the classic report view. https://guides.turnitin.com/hc/en-us/articles/28457596598925-AI-writing-detection-in-the-classic-report-view
Adapted from Ethical use of AI Infographic by Palm Beach State College. https://palmbeachstate.libguides.com/c.php?g=1323601&p=9916873
Made with the assistance of GenAI: Anthropic. (2024). Claude 3 haiku (March 4 version) [Large language model]. https://claude.ai/
