Beyond Bans and Detection: Rethinking Academic Integrity in the GenAI Era

The rise of Generative AI (GenAI) has sparked ethical concerns among educators, often focusing on student cheating. This talk argues that banning GenAI and relying on detection software is a reactionary approach, overlooking a crucial question: Does our traditional definition of academic integrity still hold in the GenAI era?  While some fear a plagiarism surge, research suggests cheating rates remain stable, driven by familiar pressures, not AI.  However, a growing distrust in student work reveals a tension between traditional learning notions and the GenAI landscape.  Traditionally, education emphasized individual effort in knowledge accumulation. GenAI challenges this print-era model by offering new ways to access and process information.  In writing, GenAI's ability to create drafts doesn't render composition obsolete; it shifts emphasis to critical analysis, revision, and "prompt engineering."  Core competencies like critical thinking and ethical reasoning remain crucial.  This talk explores how GenAI can enhance learning, suggesting using AI-generated drafts for analysis or teaching data literacy through evaluating AI outputs, rather than outright bans.

Speaker Bio

Sid Dobrin, Chair of the University of Florida’s English department, has become one of the world’s most sought-after academic experts on Generative AI, having delivered more than 70 talks, workshops, and strategy meetings around the world since November 2022 when Open AI released ChatGPT, triggering an international discussion about AI/GenAI in higher ed and in workplace readiness. He is the Founding Director of the Trace Innovation Initiative at UF and has been named a Digital Thought Leader by Adobe. He serves as a member of the Florida Institute for National Security, part of the University of Florida’s AI Initiative, and he serves on the Steering Committee of the Florida AI Learning Consortium (FALCON). He is the author and editor of numerous books and articles, including Talking about Generative AI: A Guide for Educators, AI and Writing, and the forthcoming collection AI and the Humanities. His current research project examines enduring questions motivated by AI. In addition to his work in Digital Humanities, he is prolific in writing about Environmental Humanities, specifically focused on Blue Ecocriticism and Blue Humanities.