As part of the AI EDU project in June 2023, a World Cafe Methodology was used to facilitate dialogue about various stakeholders in the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA) in order to understand the way these stakeholders related to the new technologies, specifically with AI, in association with academic and research activities. A segment of this World Cafe was dedicated to ethics and plagiarism in technology. These discussions are presented below.
The discussion group dedicated to ethics and plagiarism in technology represented a crucial platform for exploring and analyzing the depth of ethical dilemmas associated with content generated by artificial intelligence. This initiative brought together students but also academic and professional participants to debate the impact of technology on academic integrity and intellectual property rights. Given the rapid advance of artificial intelligence, the group aimed to identify critical ethical considerations related to the interpretation of plagiarism in the context of automated content generation. From evaluating AI-generated content to identifying potential consequences on copyright, the discussions covered a broad spectrum of issues, providing a comprehensive perspective on the challenges and opportunities that technology brings to this field. Through this group, we sought to identify ethical perspectives and approaches to guide the use of AI technology responsibly and beneficially in society.
Thus, the participants in the group exhaustively addressed the ethical considerations associated with the content generated by artificial intelligence, especially in terms of placing it under the umbrella of plagiarism. The debates emphasized the diversity of perspectives, including the assumption of information, the context of use, and the variability of the degree of originality associated with artificial intelligence.
The importance of ownership and discernment in generating information were central discussion points. Another crucial aspect was exploring how AI technology can help detect and prevent plagiarism, both in academia and in other creative fields. The debates highlighted the advantages and challenges of using AI algorithms in this direction, highlighting the need for balanced and efficient approaches to managing generated content. Another relevant point of discussion was the distinction between human-generated and AI-generated content. The participants emphasized the importance of the evaluation process, which should focus on developing students’ knowledge and cultural perspectives. In this regard, the need for a careful approach to face the challenges of plagiarism was highlighted.
Ethical guidelines for AI technology developers and users have also been the subject of close scrutiny. The debates highlighted the complexity of regulation globally, underscoring the need for clear ethical guidelines to ensure the authenticity of content and avoid misrepresentations. Regarding the potential consequences of AI-generated content on intellectual property rights, participants supported the idea of a fair reward system for the people whose information was used to train the algorithms. This was seen as a way to balance the benefits and challenges associated with AI content generation.
Finally, the group explored the necessary adaptations in the academic approach to the potential impact of AI-generated content on plagiarism. New strategies and tools for maintaining academic integrity were proposed, emphasizing the need to intelligently and responsibly integrate AI technology into educational processes to benefit students and society as a whole. The debates highlighted the importance of ethical and responsible regulation of this technology in an ever-evolving context.
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The project “AI EDU: Artificial Intelligence and New Technologies in Academic Processes and University Ethics” aims to understand, raise awareness, and promote good practices regarding the use of artificial intelligence and new technologies in academic processes, with a special emphasis on ethical dimensions complex, under the specific conditions of the SNSPA.
