Is using material generated by AI considered plagiarism?
The question of whether using material generated by AI is considered plagiarism is complex and the answer isn't a simple "yes" or "no." It depends heavily on the context of its use, the academic or professional policies in place, and the extent to which the AI-generated material is presented as original human work without proper attribution.
Here's a breakdown of the key considerations:
Why it could be considered plagiarism (or academic dishonesty):
Presenting AI-generated content as your own original thought/work: This is the most direct parallel to traditional plagiarism. If you submit an essay, report, or any assignment generated by an AI (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot) and claim it as entirely your own writing and ideas, that would generally be considered plagiarism or a violation of academic integrity. You're not the author of the core intellectual content.
Lack of proper attribution: Even if you modify AI-generated content, failing to acknowledge that AI played a role in its creation can be misleading. Just as you would cite a human author whose ideas you've used, there's an emerging expectation to acknowledge AI's contribution.
Violation of specific institutional/course policies: Many educational institutions and publishers are rapidly developing policies around AI use. Some may ban it entirely for certain assignments, while others may allow it with strict citation requirements. Not adhering to these policies is a form of academic misconduct.
Circumventing learning objectives: The purpose of many assignments is to develop critical thinking, writing, and research skills. If AI does the work for you, you're bypassing the learning process, which undermines the educational goal.
Why it might not be considered plagiarism (with caveats):
Using AI as a tool for brainstorming or initial drafting: If you use AI to generate ideas, outlines, or very rough drafts, and then substantially revise, expand upon, and add your own critical thinking and original analysis, it's more akin to using a search engine, grammar checker, or thesaurus. The final product is genuinely yours.
Acknowledging AI as a co-creator or tool: If you explicitly state in your work (e.g., in a footnote, acknowledgment section, or methodology) that you used AI for certain tasks (e.g., "AI assistance was used for brainstorming initial ideas," "This document was proofread using [AI tool name]"), you are providing attribution. This transparency is crucial.
Following specific guidelines for AI use: If your instructor or institution provides clear guidelines on how to ethically use AI (e.g., "you may use AI for research but must cite all generated text"), and you follow them, then it wouldn't be plagiarism.
Paraphrasing and synthesis: If you use AI-generated text as a source, much like you would a human-written source, and then paraphrase it in your own words and cite it appropriately, it's not plagiarism. However, directly copying large blocks of AI-generated text is problematic.
Current Consensus and Best Practices:
Transparency is paramount: Always disclose when and how you've used AI in your work, especially in academic or professional contexts.
Understand your institution's/instructor's policies: These are the definitive rules for your specific situation. When in doubt, ask!
Focus on your original contribution: Ensure that the final work reflects your unique ideas, analysis, and effort. AI should be a tool to enhance, not replace, your intellectual input.
Treat AI-generated content like any other source: If you're incorporating it, cite it appropriately. Citation styles for AI are still evolving, but providing enough information for others to understand what AI was used and how is generally expected.
In essence, the core of plagiarism is presenting someone else's work or ideas as your own. When it comes to AI, the "someone else" is the AI model and the data it was trained on. Using it without proper acknowledgment and ensuring your own original contribution is clear blurs that line significantly.
Diana Fordham used Gemini to help write this section on AI Literacy! I typed in the prompt, "Please write a response to "Is using material generated by AI considered plagiarism?"
