Top UK Universities Plan to embed ethics in AI Practices

Leading universities in the United Kingdom to include the usage of AI in teachings

It comes as The Russell Group has developed a list of principles to assist institutions in making the most of the benefits that artificial intelligence (AI) offers in education. The club includes some of the best institutions in the world, including Glasgow, Oxford, Manchester, Cambridge, and Durham. The declaration, signed by the vice-chancellors of all 24 Russell Group universities, aims to promote the ethical and responsible use of software such as ChatGPT while maintaining academic integrity.

ChatGPT is a type of generative AI that can react to inquiries in a human-like manner, grasp the context of follow-up questions, similar to human conversations, and produce essays when asked. However, this has raised concerns that students may utilize the program to finish homework.

According to the Russell Group, adding generative AI tools into teaching and assessments "can enhance the student learning experience, improve critical-reasoning skills, and prepare students for the real-world applications" of generative AI technology.

The statement notes, "All staff who support student learning should be empowered to design teaching sessions, materials, and assessments that incorporate the creative use of generative AI tools where appropriate."

According to the statement, all Russell Group universities have reassessed their academic behavior standards to reflect the rise of generative AI, and these regulations make it evident to students when its usage is "inappropriate."

"Ensuring academic integrity and the ethical use of generative AI can also be accomplished by cultivating an environment in which students can ask questions about specific cases of their use and discuss the associated challenges openly and without fear of repercussions," the paper stated.

What Do Professors of Universities Have to Say About AI Incorporation in Education?

"We know that students are already using this technology," said Professor Andrew Brass, head of the School of Health Sciences at the University of Manchester, "so the question for us as educators is how do you best prepare them for this, and what are the skills they need to know to engage with generative AI sensibly?"

"From our perspective, it is clear that this cannot be imposed from the top down but must be achieved by working closely with our students to co-create our guidance."

"For example, if there are restrictions, it is critical that they are clearly explained to students why they are in place, or we will find that people find a way around it."

"Assessment will also need to evolve, as it has always done in response to new technology and workforce skill needs," he noted, "to assess problem-solving and critical-reasoning skills over knowledge recall."

"AI breakthroughs are already changing how we work," said Dr. Tim Bradshaw, CEO of the Russell Group. "It's critical students get the new skills they need to build a fulfilling career."

"The transformative potential of AI is enormous, and our universities are determined to seize it." This declaration of values demonstrates our commitment to doing so to benefit students and staff while preserving the integrity of the high-quality education provided by Russell Group universities."