Over 40% of UK universities probing students for cheating via ChatGPT

London, July 9

More than 40 per cent of UK universities are investigating students for using AI chatbots like ChatGPT to cheat in their examinations, a report has said.

According to The Tab, about 48 institutions have investigated at least one student since December 2022 for using ChatGPT in their assessments.

At least 377 students have been investigated for using AI chatbots in a university-assigned piece of work and 146 have been found guilty, with dozens more pending.

The number was highest at the University of Kent, where 47 students were examined for using ChatGPT or another AI chatbot.

Moreover, the report suggested that AI investigations are taking a long time to reach an outcome of investigation. 

At Birkbeck, University of London, 41 students have been investigated but so far "the number who have admitted the offence is less than five". 

"As this is new technology most of these investigations are still open," the university was quoted as saying.

Moreover, the report mentioned that Leeds Beckett, the third highest was trying its best to deal with "the rapidly developing situation regarding generative AI tools." 

More than half (19) of the 35 inquiries launched so far have not yielded a result and are still underway.

Meanwhile, in a significant development in the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC) exam paper leak case, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has found that one of the accused allegedly used ChatGPT and electronic devices to share answers with the candidates appearing in at least two exams conducted for recruitment in government departments.

According to a BestColleges survey, more than half of college students (51 per cent) believe that using AI tools like ChatGPT to complete assignments and exams counts as cheating or plagiarism, while one in five uses them anyway.

--IANSshs/prw