Bournemouth University AI Policy

Please ensure that if you have used an AI tool, where permitted, in support of your learning and have included AI generated content in your work, your use of AI generated content should be made apparent and clearly acknowledged.

We support the use of AI where it is ethically used. You should always check with your Unit Leader whether the use of AI generated content in your assignment is acceptable and if so to what extent and if there are any guidance requirements.

The use of an AI generator such as ChatGPT to complete an assignment, wholly or partially, where the use of AI generated content has not been expressly permitted by your tutor or Unit Leader, is an academic offence, regardless of whether this is acknowledged or not

AI generators can only be used where your tutor or unit leader has expressly stated that they can be used in relation to your assignment.

Presenting work for assessment generated by artificial intelligence (AI), as if it were your own work, where explicit permission has not been given by your tutor/ unit leader, or where you use the generated text within your own work and this has not been made clear through explicit acknowledgement.

Whether or not you're using AI to support your assignment or assessment, this should be acknowledged (where this is permitted).

If the use of AI is not permitted by your lecturer or tutor, and you use AI to generate your answer, this is considered an academic offence.

Importantly, these changes apply to all forms of assessments, including practical assessments, coursework, in person examinations and online examinations. So, if you're taking an examination and the use of AI is not expressly permitted, you should not use this in any way.

Used ethically, AI tools can support your learning. For example, it can be used in the following ways:

simplify complex topics, helping students to understand challenging concepts quickly and ask questions to build a greater understanding

offer examples of good grammar, sentence structure and the flow of text, enabling students to improve their writing and communication skills

provide examples of how to tackle a problem or structure a response, supporting students in developing their own answers and ideas.

provide feedback on writing or practice quizzes, to help identify areas for improvement before submitting coursework or taking exams.

Students should be aware that there are issues and limitations with AI generated content, so should use it with caution and with academic integrity. This includes understanding that:

AI may not always provide accurate, reliable or up-to-date information.

AI often generates responses by pulling content from third-party sources, without properly citing or acknowledging where it came from.

Students remain fully responsible for the work they submit, even if they use AI tools to support their learning.

They should therefore always:

check any content generated by AI for accuracy, relevance and potential bias.

make sure any sources or references suggested by AI are genuine and suitable for academic use.

understand and be able to explain any ideas or wording included in their work, even if AI helped produce them.

AI generators can only be used where your tutor or unit leader has expressly stated that they can be used in relation to your assignment.

Please ensure that if you have used an AI tool, where permitted, in support of your learning and have included AI generated content in your work, your use of AI generated content should be made apparent and clearly acknowledged.

For the avoidance of doubt, a candidate may utilise a proof-reader or use a digital support tool to proofread syntax, spelling and grammar, but in all cases, this must be in line with University policy and the University’s guidance on the use of AI generated content.

BU recognises that the use of AI in doctoral research is a nuanced and evolving issue. AI tools may support some aspects of the research process, particularly around language refinement or accessibility. However, the use of Generative AI to produce substantive intellectual content, such as generating sections of a literature review, discussion or interpretation, is not permitted where it replaces or obscures the candidate’s own original contribution.

PGRs may use AI to support proofreading, improve readability and identify language issues, but the final submitted work must remain their own. Responsibility for the originality, accuracy and integrity of the thesis rests entirely with the candidate.

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Researchers remain fully accountable for all submitted work, including any content informed or assisted by AI. The use of AI should never compromise ethical standards, data protection, confidentiality or the originality of academic work.

Any use of AI that materially contributes to academic output should be acknowledged appropriately. This aligns with emerging best practice and helps maintain transparency and trust in research.

Researchers and students should not upload confidential, personal or sensitive information to publicly available AI platforms. This includes unpublished research data, participant information and any data covered by GDPR or confidentiality agreements, unless there is a secure, institutionally approved environment and explicit permission in place.

Throughout the project, students should think carefully about whether they are using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in any aspect of their work. Some tools, like transcription software or writing support programs, may involve AI features and this should be acknowledged where relevant. As a student researcher, you remain fully responsible for the content of your dissertation, project or report. You must make sure that anything generated or supported by AI is accurate, appropriate and ethically used.

Please ensure that if you have used an AI tool, where permitted, in support of your learning and have included AI generated content in your work, your use of AI generated content should be made apparent and clearly acknowledged.

If AI generated content is permitted by your tutor or unit leader, and you are required to use BU Harvard referencing, this should be acknowledged in your assignment. Please refer to guidance from your tutor or unit leader as to how to do this or the following guidance from Cite Them Right Online

A declaration should be added to your work to explain the use of AI generated content and where this has been used. For example "Sections of this assignment have been generated with the assistance of an AI text generator (ChatGPT, 13/7/2023 3.5) and modified by me after several revisions. The prompts used and the output generated can be found in Appendix 1”.

For example, if students use AI to generate part of an assignment, they might include:

what tool was used

the date it was accessed

a copy of the prompt(s)

a transcript or summary of the response

this could be in an appendix or other format required by the unit.

The use of an AI generator such as ChatGPT to complete an assignment, wholly or partially, where the use of AI generated content has not been expressly permitted by your tutor or Unit Leader, is an academic offence, regardless of whether this is acknowledged or not

Presenting work for assessment generated by artificial intelligence (AI), as if it were your own work, where explicit permission has not been given by your tutor/ unit leader, or where you use the generated text within your own work and this has not been made clear through explicit acknowledgement.

1.1 This policy and procedure is designed to enable suspected academic offences to be dealt with fairly, consistently and in a timely manner.

2.1 An academic offence is an action or behaviour likely to give a student an unfair advantage in assessment. The following is a non-exhaustive list of conduct that may amount to an academic offence under this policy:

(i) plagiarism, that is, the representation of another person’s work, whether in words, images, sounds or data, including concepts, theories, ideas, inventions and research findings, as the student’s own; this includes plagiarism in assessed oral presentations

As staff, you may already be using AI tools to support aspects of your work, such as drafting documents, summarising information, brainstorming ideas or streamlining repetitive tasks. These tools can be helpful, but it is important to use them responsibly and with care.

You are ultimately responsible for any content or decisions informed by AI. This means you must:

review outputs critically for accuracy, relevance and appropriateness

consider whether AI-generated content reflects BU values and professional standards

avoid relying on AI in situations that require personal, academic or pastoral judgement without appropriate oversight.

Think carefully before using AI to draft communications, provide feedback or offer advice that affects students or colleagues. AI-generated content should always be reviewed by a human and adapted where necessary.

The use of AI should never compromise ethical standards, data protection, confidentiality or the originality of academic work.

Researchers and students should not upload confidential, personal or sensitive information to publicly available AI platforms. This includes unpublished research data, participant information and any data covered by GDPR or confidentiality agreements, unless there is a secure, institutionally approved environment and explicit permission in place.

You should not enter confidential, personal, commercially sensitive or otherwise restricted university information into public AI tools unless you are certain this is permitted under BU guidance. This includes:

student or staff personal data

assessment materials before release

research data or findings not yet published

internal reports, business plans or legal content

any information covered by confidentiality agreements or data protection legislation.

Using a public AI tool means you may lose control over how data is stored, processed or reused. Always check whether a tool has been approved for use, and whether there is guidance from your faculty, professional service or IT.

We support the use of AI where it is ethically used.

At BU, we encourage the ethical and informed use of AI to support learning, teaching, research and professional practice. AI tools are becoming increasingly common across higher education and can offer real benefits when used appropriately.

Used well, AI can help improve efficiency, support creativity and enhance understanding. But it also raises important questions around accuracy, authorship, bias, privacy and accountability.

Generative Artificial Intelligence Hub