Kuala Lumpur: In the rapidly advancing era of artificial intelligence (AI), tools like ChatGPT are reshaping the landscape of higher education, bringing profound changes to institutions of higher learning (IPTs) nationwide. ChatGPT offers substantial benefits as a learning tool, such as generating essays, enhancing writing creativity, analyzing data, accelerating research processes, and providing instant answers to complex questions. However, this convenience also raises concerns, particularly over misuse by students who rely on the software to complete assignments automatically, without true comprehension or critical engagement.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Associate Professor Dr. Mohd Khairie Ahmad, Dean of the School of Multimedia Technology and Communication at Universiti Utara Malaysia, stated that the philosophy of technology is to simplify and enhance capabilities, and when it comes to the issue of AI in learning, it depends on context. Generative AI is a technological advancement capable of producing content that previously required human thought and effort. AI can certainly generate student assignments or coursework, but if students rely entirely on AI, it could potentially hinder their learning process. This irresponsible or unethical use of AI to complete assignments, while claiming them as original work, is referred to as ‘AIgiarism’ or AI plagiarism.

Sharing that digital plagiarism or academic dishonesty is not a new phenomenon, Mohd Khairie said AI’s development has made academic misconduct more dynamic. He noted that since generative AI gained popularity around 2022, the higher education world has become aware of and anticipated the challenges it brings. It is undeniable that the use of AI in learning, especially for assignment completion, has become common over the past year or two. There are students who rely entirely on AI to complete assignments or even answer tests or quizzes, especially when conducted online.

Many students believe such actions are not wrong since AI is legal and not a prohibited technology. However, this is considered unethical because the work does not stem from the student’s own cognitive effort or thinking. In fact, such conduct is regarded as a form of plagiarism. Typically, lecturers evaluate student assignments by measuring the similarity index, and now also through AI detection. Among the AI applications that can detect AI plagiarism are Turnitin, GPTZero, Winston AI, Originality.ai, Copyleaks AI Detector, and PerfectEssayWriter.ai.

While not denying that educators, particularly lecturers, also use AI for teaching and research purposes, Mohd Khairie said there can be no compromise when it comes to violating the principles of academic integrity. According to him, the world of higher education upholds the practice of respecting and valuing past scholarly works. A scholarly work requires reading and digesting prior writings as part of the process of generating new thoughts or ideas. This is a defining feature of academic writing and a core principle of scholarly work, to acknowledge references used, at the very least by listing them in citations.

Responding to whether IPTs have clear guidelines on AI usage by students and lecturers, Mohd Khairie said to his knowledge, the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) was among the earliest to issue brief guidance through an Advisory Note in 2023 on the use of generative AI across all Malaysian institutions. He added that in 2024, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) published more specific guidelines for educators and students on the application of generative AI. These guidelines focus on lawful, responsible, transparent, trustworthy, and ethical use of AI, grounded in values, regulations, and legislation.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian Cyber Consumers Association (MCCA) views the increasing use of AI, particularly ChatGPT, among students in IPTs as a clear sign that higher education is undergoing a profound technological transformation. Its president, Siraj Jalil, said that AI is no longer a tool of the future but has already become an integral part of the current ecosystem in IPTs. MCCA does not see this issue as entirely a threat, nor as an opportunity without risks. It lies in a grey area that can bring either benefits or harm depending on how it is used.

For Muhammad Haziq Sabri, President of the Student Representative Council at Universiti Teknologi MARA Shah Alam for the 2024/2025 session, ChatGPT has now become a common tool among university students and has helped him significantly in completing assignments and preparing notes for exams. It enables note generation from lecture slides and helps in understanding certain topics. Using ChatGPT to correct grammar and sentence structure also speeds up the process of completing assignments.

For Muhammad Asyraf Daniyal Abdul Halid, a Master’s research student in Marine Biotechnology at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, ChatGPT serves as a guide, but over 90 per cent of the work comes from the student’s own effort in sourcing credible information with proper citations. ChatGPT really helps in searching and compiling necessary information, developing ideas, and getting an overview of the assignments or projects given by lecturers. However, plagiarism and failure to fact-check information are common forms of misuse among students.