Ethical and evaluative use
Using generative AI in ethical ways
Generative AI are tools that can assist us in our daily lives, at work or studying. Like any tool, ethical, evaluative and appropriate use is key. Click on the plus (+) icons to explore ethical considerations connected to generative AI.
Activity overview
This interactive image hotspot provides a series of ethical considerations connected to generative AI, that students need to be mindful about. Each hotspot provide information on a particular ethical considerations connected to generative AI. Hotspots are displayed as plus (+) icons that can be clicked, to present the information.
Hotspot 1
Creatorship
University experiences develop your knowledge and skills so when you finish a degree, you’re well equipped for employment or further study. Using generative AI to create content that you have not extended on, modified or engaged with meaningfully means you are presenting work that is not your own and no development has been made with your knowledge and skills.
Hotspot 2
Accessibility
While most generative AI tools are currently free, more and more are applying a cost to access tools. This creates barriers for those who are unable to afford access.
Hotspot 3
Privacy
Like other digital tools, generative AI tools collect and stores data about users. Signing up to use generative AI tools allows it to collect data on you. These user data would be used to make changes to tools to keep you engaged.
User data also has the potential to be sold or given to third parties for marketing or surveillance purposes.
Hotspot 4
Bias
Generative AI can potentially create biased content, based on:
- People embedding their biases when they create them.
- Biases in the datasets used to train them.
- Generative AI creating its own biases from how it interprets the data it has been trained on.
Hotspot 5
Academic integrity
All staff and students at Deakin University should act with honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility in their activities.
Getting a generative AI to create or re-write your assessment and then submitting that work as your own, is cheating. It is the same as asking another human to do your work for you.
For more information, visit the Academic Integrity webpage.
Hotspot 6
Accuracy
Generative AI won't state that it is unable to provide a correct answer. Instead, it generates a false answer that appears to be correct, this is known as a “hallucination”.
It is often unknown where the data used to train generative AI has come from. Generative AI can't tell a user what data it drew from to generate content. So, content from generative AI couldn't be used as a credible and reliable source in an assessment.
Critically thinking about AI generated content
Imagine you're taking a test that requires you to solve mathematical questions. A calculator is a tool that would be appropriate to use, as it helps to apply mathematical equations more efficiently to answer test questions. But would it be appropriate to use a calculator when writing an essay on the French Revolution?
When people are using generative AI tools to create content, there needs to be a purpose behind using these tools. Such as generating questions to investigate a particular topic.
Then critical thinking and evaluation needs to be applied to the content that is produced. Such as:
- Questioning the content that has been generated.
- How are you going to verify the information that generative AI has created?
- Using an Evaluation Method, such as the Dependability Checklist or SIFT method.
- Applying what has been generated to inspire your own pursuit of knowledge and creativity.
Approaching assessment: appropriateness, attribution and acknowledgement
Always check with your Unit Guide or confirm with your Unit Chair about whether it's appropriate to use generative AI in your assessments.
Attribution and acknowledgement are critical to ethical use of generative AI in your assessments. If you're using a tool that generates some elements of your work, the person that marks it needs to know what's yours and what comes from somewhere else.
- Read through Acknowledging the use of AI information in the Student guide to using generative AI.
- Check out the Deakin Referencing Guide for detailed instructions on how to reference generative AI.
- Cite legal referencing you can follow these instructions on Citing generative AI content (ChatGPT).
Attribution
The following format is appropriate for attribution:
- AI tool and version:
- Date:
- Prompt/s or instructions:
Note
Academic Integrity, your Unit Chair or other context may require further information to be recorded. For further attribution and acknowledgement help, ask Study Support, your referencing experts at Deakin.
Rights management
AI generated content is a complex space when it comes to rights management. The technology is moving quickly, with regulatory activity needing time to respond to and reflect these changes. The implications of your content contribution are a critical aspect of rights management to be aware of before using AI generators. By submitting content to AI platforms through prompts or uploads, you may likely grant the AI services the right to re-use and distribute this content and that might result in a breach of copyright or privacy.
For these reasons, when using AI technology, Deakin students and staff must adhere to the following rules:
- Do not submit private/personal information in prompts or otherwise to AI platforms – no names, email addresses, student ID numbers, phone numbers etc.
- Do not submit or upload any copyrighted materials or other protected Deakin intellectual property in prompts or otherwise to AI platforms – no images, text, sound, film, computer code, designs, trademarks, patents etc – unless you have obtained the required prior written consents.
- All items generated using any AI tool require appropriate attribution that they have been created by an AI tool, the program used, what prompts were used and the date it was produced.
Key considerations
AI does not necessarily have the capacity to determine whether what it creates is a breach of copyright or whether the user is free from legal liability – so it’s important that you check.
Suggested checklist of what to consider when using and creating with generative AI:
Ethical and creative use of generative AI should cover all these elements. If you need more guidance around using generative AI in your assessments - reach out to your unit chair or course director. You can also read through Deakin Study Support’s guide that covers the risks, limitations and other considerations.
Questions or concerns about copyright or intellectual property in the use of AI? Contact Deakin’s Copyright Office for help navigating the issues.