The Impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence on Academic Integrity.

Abstract

Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) can transform educational praxis, enabling tailored learning experiences and enhanced skills development. However, Gen AI also poses a threat to academic integrity, enabling students to bypass learning and assessment through the generation of unauthorised content. In this study, students applied Gen AI to complete past university assessments reformatted as research tests, with the goal of achieving a pass grade when graded by an academic, undetected by an AI writing detection tool. The findings reveal 23.8% of the AI generated solutions passed when graded by an academic, achieving grades between 40% and 60% while evading AI writing detection tools. The study provides empirical evidence of the ease at which students can use Gen AI to produce viable solutions for university assessments while circumventing AI writing detection tools and academic integrity rules. The study also provides evidence that students’ ability to conceal unauthorised generation of content and artifacts using Gen AI rapidly improves with use and exposure. The study provides further evidence that many forms of traditional assessments will become less viable as more sophisticated forms of Gen AI emerge.