Students who use ChatGPT and other AI systems on assignments without instructor approval or who misuse them violate the University of Missouri Collected Rules and Regulations 200.10 academic integrity rules.

What Is ChatGPT?

Open AI's ChatGPT is a text-generation tool that uses a Large Language Model (LLM) algorithm to compose responses to user-generated prompts. LLMs work by analyzing huge amounts of text (in this case, a dataset culled from the internet in 2021) to understand relationships between words. ChatGPT uses this understanding to generate responses to prompts that mimic the responses to similar ideas that the bot located in its dataset. This LLM algorithm is the same technology that produces predictive text on Google Docs, MS Word, and many smartphone texting applications, applied in a new format.

The chatbot itself says that "with the growing demand for online learning and the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in education, there is a need for universities to explore the use of ChatGPT (or similar language models) to enhance student engagement and improve learning outcomes." As leaders of innovation in science and technology, at Missouri S&T we have both the knowledge and the responsibility to provide leadership by incorporating cutting-edge technologies like ChatGPT in ways that maximize their benefits for our students and our society.

May Students Use ChatGPT and Similar Tools for their Academic Work?

YES, a student may use ChatGPT or AI technology with the instructor's express permission.

No, a student may not use ChatGPT if the instructor prohibits it or AI technology is misused. Students are violating the University of Missouri academic integrity rule CRR 200.10. 

It states, in part, "that academic honesty is essential for the intellectual life of the University. Faculty members have a special obligation to expect high standards of academic honesty in all student work. Students have a special obligation to adhere to such standards." In addition, submitting the words of a chatbot as your work is likely a form of plagiarism.

Can Professors Tell if Students Use ChatGPT?

Tools designed to detect AI-created text exist. Faculty may employ them to discover improper behavior, which puts students at risk. Furthermore, students are watering down their own educational experience by not engaging in learning new material, which is the purpose of participating in collegiate education.  

What's the Bottom Line?

Ask your instructor if you can use ChatGPT or similar tools within a course. This simple question will ensure that you are not violating academic integrity rules.

The Missouri S&T Honor Code states, "In the ideal student, honesty is represented by the attitude of individuality. This is represented by a student constantly striving to perform all work themselves and to credit all statements, ideas, references, etc., where it is due. ... A student must also refrain from using any sources or methods of completion that are unadvised and/or forbidden by individual instructors or campus standards…." https://stuco.mst.edu/documents/honor-code/

To uphold S&T values, students should commit to doing their own work without unauthorized assistance from other people or machines.