Dialogue with generative artificial intelligence: is its “product” free from academic integrity violations?

Purpose. This article aims to analyze the role of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), specifically ChatGPT, in educational activities while addressing concerns regarding academic integrity. The study explores the ambiguous boundaries of GenAI’s involvement in coursework, its potential ethical and technological challenges, and the need for clear policies regulating its use in education.
Methodology. This study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining bibliometric analysis, direct interaction with ChatGPT, and a survey of Ukrainian students.
Findings. The findings of this study reveal several key insights into the use of GenAI, specifically ChatGPT, in educational settings and its impact on academic integrity. The findings underscore the need for educational institutions to develop and implement policies that regulate GenAI’s role in academic activities. While GenAI offers significant potential as a technological assistant, there are risks associated with its misuse, particularly concerning academic dishonesty and the erosion of academic standards.
Originality. The study’s originality lies in the comprehensive analysis of the problem of integrating GenAI, in particular ChatGPT, into the educational process from the point of view of academic integrity. For the first time, a systematic view of the stages of user interaction with GenAI has been proposed, potential points of violation of academic integrity at each of these stages are identified, and a “white box” concept has been developed to describe the use of GenAI, which allows controlling input and output parameters, minimizing risks. In addition, the study contains empirical data obtained as a result of a large-scale survey of Ukrainian students on their attitude to the use of GenAI in education, the level of awareness of university policies regarding GenAI, and support for the use of GenAI provided that academic integrity is observed. This outcome allows identifying the gap between existing practices and the need to develop effective strategies for integrating GenAI into the educational process.
Practical value. The practical value of the work lies in the fact that the study’s results can serve as the basis for the development of clear recommendations and policies on using GenAI in higher education institutions. The proposed “white box” model can be applied to create practical tools that will help students and teachers understand the potential risks and consequences of using GenAI and develop skills for responsible use of these technologies. The student survey results can be used to inform and ensure dialogue between stakeholders on the optimal ways of integrating GenAI into the educational space, taking into account ethical aspects and the need to maintain academic integrity.