AI. There is a growing conversation around the ethical use of Artificial Intelligence in South African universities. Picture: IOL
Image: File Image: IOL
The increasing adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in academic spaces has sparked a conversation on its ethical use, particularly as students turn to tools like ChatGPT for assignments and research.
University academics are advocating for ethical AI practices in education, saying there needs to be responsible use of AI tools to enhance learning.
Prof Labby Ramrathan, an education expert at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), said AI in academic environments was a topical issue among academics, researchers, and students. "It is an ongoing issue where positive things are being said about its uses as well as concerns. Most glaring of the concerns is that of copy and paste, where students uncritically copy information."
However, Ramrathan also acknowledged the potential benefits, noting that: "AI technology provides quick access to a vast amount of information, which can help students make sense of complex subjects."
The key, he emphasised, is for students to "acknowledge how, why, and where" they use AI in their work, promoting academic integrity and responsible use of technology.
Siphumelele Zondi, a lecturer at the Durban University of Technology (DUT), shared similar concerns and highlighted the need for ethical AI practices. "Artificial Intelligence has a lot of positives, but students need to understand ethical ways of using it and be intentional with not using it for purposes of cheating or plagiarism," Zondi said.
He added that AI-generated work can often be easily detected, noting that "sometimes it would not even be localised and it would be easy to tell that it’s work written by a machine and not a human."
On assessment design, Zondi revealed that the approach has evolved, which also minimises the use of AI.
"The manner in which assessments are designed has definitely changed as I expect the students to use local sources and resources more," he said.
UKZN said it had developed a framework to guide the responsible use of AI in academia. "Rather than restricting its use, the guidelines take a progressive approach to AI," said Normah Zondo, Executive Director: Corporate Relations.
The university said it encouraged staff and students to use generative AI tools responsibly. The guidelines are based on four core principles: innovation, ethical use, academic integrity, and capacity building.
At the Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT), the institution is taking a measured approach to AI in academia.
Zama Sishi, Acting Senior Director of Marketing and Communications at MUT, explained that while the university does not yet have a formal policy on AI use, a position paper on the ethical use of AI is in development.