Ethical Aspects of Artificial Intelligence Usage in the Academic Environment
Creators: name: Tamar Vepkhvadze
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Academic Ethics, Artificial Intelligence, Innovation, Technological Progress.

description: Abstract: The aim of our research is to explore the correlation between artificial intelligence and the academic environment in the context of complying with and upholding academic ethics norms. Today, the ideals of the academic community are undergoing significant changes. The concept and values of the university are being transformed with the introduction and active enforcement of ethical norms. Over the past two decades, ethical regulations have been developed and expanded in universities, professor and student unions, and research institutions: ethical codes have emerged, and ethics committees have been established. International documents regarding the reorganization of higher education also include moral and ethical requirements for the academic community.  

In the last twenty years, modern universities and higher education institutions around the world have adopted ethics codes or other documents with ethical content. Universities in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Asia have implemented ethics regulatory systems, including ethics committees, commissions, applied ethics research centers, complaints centers, and other regulatory mechanisms. Ten to twenty years ago, ethical codes and regulations were rare in universities, but now this trend has become the norm. Most leading universities adopted ethics or conduct codes by the end of the 21st century.  

All of these facts indicate that the topic of academic ethics and its practical aspects is highly relevant.  

The debate over the values and ideals of the academic community has been ongoing since the Enlightenment. Philosophers of that time reflected on these issues in their works, expressing views on organizational culture, customs, traditions, and the ideals of the academic community (Diderot, Kant). In the 19th and 20th centuries, the idea of the university and its core values became the subject of study for authors such as Fichte, Nietzsche, Humboldt, Fischer, Schopenhauer, Weber, Ortega y Gasset, Heidegger, Derrida, Jaspers, John Dewey, and others.  

Simultaneously, the modern stage of society's development, including the academic community, is unfolding alongside the formation of a technological worldview and rapid development. It is noteworthy that, with the diffusion of dynamic technologies and the progress of artificial intelligence (AI), the post-COVID era is promoting the intensive development of new AI tools and their application in various spheres of human life, including education and science.  

The Council of Europe defines artificial intelligence as "a combination of sciences, theories, and technologies aimed at replicating human cognitive abilities in machines. Given the current state of development, AI means delegating complex intellectual tasks, traditionally performed by humans, to machines." [1].  

AI has become a significant part of the surrounding reality. The rapid increase in research and the high level of interest from the scientific community emphasize the need to develop a general methodology for studying AI as an independent interdisciplinary scientific field. This necessity is driven by the need for a systematic framework to address research problems using the best and most accessible methods available, in line with the goals and objectives of the research. This methodology distinguishes science from the so-called "common sense" of everyday ideas. Building theoretical models is the main strength of science, allowing us to consider the heuristic validation of a theory as a criterion for truth in understanding the adequacy of reality descriptions.  

AI technologies are evolving rapidly, becoming popular, and have already been integrated into the educational processes of universities worldwide, including in Georgia. The high quality of work produced by AI tools (such as Chat GPT) has gained popularity among students, leading to its widespread use.  

This raises the question: What constitutes AI plagiarism? Can the unauthorized borrowing or use of AI-generated materials be considered plagiarism?  

The objective of the research is to examine the aspects that define the academic community's understanding of academic ethics in relation to the problem of plagiarism. Additionally, the study analyzes issues related to copyright ethics and AI-generated plagiarism.  

The research aims to highlight the key aspects that shape the understanding of academic society, including students' views on the relationship between artificial intelligence, academic ethics, and academic integrity.  

The research questions include: How relevant is the protection of copyright, authorial ethics, and AI plagiarism in the preparation and completion of academic assignments in university settings? What is the general attitude of the academic community toward compliance with authorial ethics and the problem of plagiarism when using AI tools in the academic environment? Are there any standards for preventing AI plagiarism?  

Importantly, at the level of individual countries and major tech companies, special bodies are already being established to promote ethical standards in technology. For example, in Europe, there are ethics commissions in the field of AI. The monitoring of ethical standards in specific companies is carried out by individual specialists. In 2021, the first ethical code for AI was developed by leading European companies and universities. Is this approach considered in Georgia's university space?  

To answer these questions, the research employs methods of analogy, typological studies, and pragmatic analysis. The study presents recommendations for strengthening the policies of educational institutions regarding copyright ethics protection and AI plagiarism prevention among the academic community and students.