Exploring the Dual Nature of AI in Education: Emphasising the Importance of Proactive Strategies to Ensure its Ethical Use

Abstract

The increasing availability of advanced analytics tools such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are driving almost every industry to change their practices. Among which, the Chatbot Technology (ChatGPT), a computer programs that simulates human conversation with an end user has witnessed vast advancements. Not long time ago the impact of ChatGPT and similar AI language models in education sector was predicted to be transformative by reshaping the way students, teachers, and institutions interact with educational content (Agarwal et al., 2024). Arguably, they are already playing an increasingly significant role in the education sector, with a wide range of applications that are transforming teaching, learning, assessment and students’ experiences.  While ChatGPT and similar AI tools offer significant benefits in Higher Education (HE), including personalised learning, enhanced student engagement, improved collaboration, and greater accessibility, they also raise critical concerns about academic integrity and dishonesty. Central to these concerns is the potential for plagiarism, as students may rely on AI/ChatGPT tools generated content in ways that undermine original thought and academic honesty. In fact, this is a current dilemma for many HE providers in the UK and not only, among which is The University of Hertfordshire (UH) which is the case of this paper.  Therefore, aim of this ongoing project is to explore the dual nature of AI/ChatGPT Tools in education, emphasising the importance of proactive strategies to ensure its ethical use. This article provides a reflective analysis of the initial strategies implemented to promote ethical AI/ChatGPT tools use within one of the largest postgraduate taught courses with 1000+ students at the UHBS. In this course students are asked to develop research proposals for their final postgraduate projects. The AI implementation strategies were designed primarily to reduce plagiarism by encouraging responsible engagement with AI/ChatGPT tools. Based on the course data analyses, the article offers comprehensive, practical recommendations for educators to foster fairness, uphold academic standards, and guide students in the ethical and responsible use of AI technologies in academic settings.