Teaching & Learning
- Separately, when using any GenAI tools in university activities, users must be accountable for GenAI output and verify its accuracy, and they must use GenAI tools only for legitimate purposes
- The university does not define a university-wide rule on whether students may use generative AI to complete graded coursework and assignments; instead, it emphasizes that instructors should clearly define permissible AI use in course syllabi
Include a policy on your syllabus that clearly defines when, how, and how much students can use AI in your courses.
Being accountable for the use of their own output from GenAI and verifying the accuracy of all output obtained from GenAI.
Using GenAI Tools only for legitimate purposes.
- The policy is framed in terms of authorization by the faculty member rather than naming AI tools specifically
- University policy on academic integrity states that a student may violate academic integrity if they use materials, sources, or devices during an academic evaluation in a manner not authorized by the faculty member, or if they receive assistance during an academic evaluation in a manner not authorized by the faculty member
Refers during an academic evaluation to materials or sources, or employs devices, not authorized by the faculty member.
Receives assistance during an academic evaluation from another person in a manner not authorized by the faculty member.
- The university also emphasizes that instructors should communicate in the syllabus when and how students may use AI in their courses
- The university provides examples of permitted uses of AI for student learning (as teaching guidance), including using AI as a study aid (e.g., quizzing on course concepts)
Include a policy on your syllabus that clearly defines when, how, and how much students can use AI in your courses.
Encourage students to treat AI like a study buddy. Students can quiz themselves on course concepts using AI.
- It also states that when using GenAI tools, users are responsible for verifying the accuracy of GenAI output
- The university provides teaching guidance that instructors may allow AI for code-related work, and that instructors should specify permissible AI use in the syllabus
Include a policy on your syllabus that clearly defines when, how, and how much students can use AI in your courses.
Give students the option of using AI tools to revise their writing or code.
Being accountable for the use of their own output from GenAI and verifying the accuracy of all output obtained from GenAI.
Research
- Separately, the university's GenAI acceptable use standard requires users to verify the accuracy of GenAI output and holds users accountable for their output
- The university does not provide a research-writing-specific policy rule in the provided sources; however, it states that Claude for Education assists with writing and research and describes PittGPT as a proprietary GenAI tool that supports research and teaching work
Claude for Education is an advanced conversational AI assistant with enhanced privacy built by Anthropic. Claude assists with writing, research, document analysis, and complex problem-solving — helping draft communications, analyze large documents, brainstorm ideas, and work through multi-step problems.
Exclusively for faculty and staff, PittGPT, powered by CAI, is the University's proprietary GenAI tool designed to streamline workflows and enhance productivity — all while keeping University data safe. With features like conversational chat, data integration, and template creation, PittGPT empowers your research, teaching, and work.
Being accountable for the use of their own output from GenAI and verifying the accuracy of all output obtained from GenAI.
- The standard also states that users must be accountable for GenAI output and verify accuracy, and it explicitly identifies falsifying presentations of research data and/or research results as not legitimate uses
- The university's GenAI acceptable use standard limits what classifications of university data may be used with different types of GenAI tools, requiring that private and restricted university data be used only with approved university GenAI tools
Private and Restricted University data may only be used in conjunction with University GenAI Tools designated as approved for use with these classifications.
Being accountable for the use of their own output from GenAI and verifying the accuracy of all output obtained from GenAI.
Using GenAI Tools only for legitimate purposes. Uses such as creating media impersonating or representing others without their permission or falsifying presentations of research data and/or research results are not legitimate uses.
- Separately, the GenAI acceptable use standard states that falsifying presentations of research data and/or research results is not a legitimate use of GenAI tools
- The university defines research misconduct as fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism in proposing, performing, or reviewing research or in reporting research results
Research misconduct is defined as intentional, knowing, or reckless fabrication of data, falsification of data, or plagiarism, in proposing, performing, or reviewing research, or in reporting research results.
Using GenAI Tools only for legitimate purposes. Uses such as creating media impersonating or representing others without their permission or falsifying presentations of research data and/or research results are not legitimate uses.
Academic Integrity
- The university does not define a university-wide requirement for students to disclose or cite AI use in submitted academic work in the provided sources
- The Teaching Center advises that if instructors permit students to use generative AI tools to complete assignments, instructors should teach students how to cite their AI tool usage
If you permit students to use generative AI tools to complete assignments, teach them how cite their AI tool usage.
- Separately, the academic integrity policy outlines adjudication processes and provides that students should not be subject to sanctions except in accordance with established procedures
- The Teaching Center recommends against using AI detection tools and states it has disabled the AI-detection tool in Turnitin, and it does not endorse or support the use of any AI-detection tools
We recommend against using AI detection tools, which are not accurate enough to prove that students’ have violated academic integrity policies.
Therefore, the Teaching Center has disabled the AI-detection tool in Turnitin.
Currently, the Teaching Center does not endorse or support the use of any AI-detection tools.
No student should be subject to an adverse finding that he or she committed an offense related to academic integrity, and no sanction should be imposed relating thereto, except in accordance with procedures appropriate for disposition of the particular matter involved.
Institutional & Administrative
- Additionally, the GenAI acceptable use standard applies to users (including faculty and staff) and requires verifying the accuracy of GenAI output and using GenAI tools only for legitimate purposes
- The university states that PittGPT is exclusively for faculty and staff and is designed to streamline workflows and enhance productivity, and the provost announcement describes Claude for Education as assisting with tasks including drafting communications and research/document analysis
Exclusively for faculty and staff, PittGPT, powered by CAI, is the University's proprietary GenAI tool designed to streamline workflows and enhance productivity — all while keeping University data safe.
Claude assists with writing, research, document analysis, and complex problem-solving — helping draft communications, analyze large documents, brainstorm ideas, and work through multi-step problems.
Being accountable for the use of their own output from GenAI and verifying the accuracy of all output obtained from GenAI.
Using GenAI Tools only for legitimate purposes.
- The university notes that certain AI notetaker applications (Teams AI Notes and Zoom AI Companion) are approved for use with university data, and that no other AI notetakers are approved; it also states Zoom AI Companion is not compatible with the HIPAA-compliant Zoom environment
- The university's GenAI acceptable use operating standard requires that private and restricted university data only be used with approved university GenAI tools and that users verify tool approval status and permitted data classifications before use; it also directs users to request evaluation of unapproved tools via a vendor security risk assessment process
Private and Restricted University data may only be used in conjunction with University GenAI Tools designated as approved for use with these classifications.
Users must verify the approval status and data classifications permitted for any GenAI Tool before use.
Users must request an evaluation of GenAI tools that have not yet been approved process.by initiating the Vendor Security Risk Assessment process.
While these specific applications have been vetted and are approved for use with University data, Zoom AI Companion is not compatible with the HIPAA-compliant Zoom environment. Please note that no other AI notetakers are approved for use with University data.
- The university also references committee-based governance work through the Ad Hoc Committee report on generative AI in research and education
- The university indicates institution-level AI governance and rollout via Pitt Digital's Generative AI offerings, including a provost announcement that Claude for Education will be made available to faculty/staff and students with guidance on responsible AI use
Pitt Digital will make Claude for Education available to faculty/staff this week and students over winter break as part of our Generative AI @ Pitt offerings. We will send a joint announcement to each group with instructions for getting started, links to training and support resources, and guidance on responsible AI use.
Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on Generative AI in Research and Education:
AI in Research and Education:
Considerations for Responsible Use
and Recommendations
Submitted March 1, 2024
DocuMark: Responsible AI Use for Academic Integrity
Knowing your institution's AI policy is step one. DocuMark helps enforce it fairly by empowering universities to manage AI-generated content, prevent cheating, and support student writing through responsible AI use.
Common Questions About University of Pittsburgh's AI Policies
University of Pittsburgh has defined AI policies in 12 of 12 categories, with an overall coverage score of 100%.
The university does not define a university-wide requirement for students to disclose or cite AI use in submitted academic work in the provided sources. The Teaching Center advises that if instructors permit students to use generative AI tools to complete assignments, instructors should teach students how to cite their AI tool usage.
The Teaching Center recommends against using AI detection tools and states it has disabled the AI-detection tool in Turnitin, and it does not endorse or support the use of any AI-detection tools. Separately, the academic integrity policy outlines adjudication processes and provides that students should not be subject to sanctions except in accordance with established procedures.
The university's GenAI acceptable use operating standard requires that private and restricted university data only be used with approved university GenAI tools and that users verify tool approval status and permitted data classifications before use; it also directs users to request evaluation of unapproved tools via a vendor security risk assessment process. The university notes that certain AI notetaker applications (Teams AI Notes and Zoom AI Companion) are approved for use with university data, and that no other AI notetakers are approved; it also states Zoom AI Companion is not compatible with the HIPAA-compliant Zoom environment.