Source
ABC News (Australia)
Summary
The Australian Catholic University (ACU) has come under fire after wrongly accusing hundreds of students of using AI to cheat on assignments. Internal records showed nearly 6,000 academic misconduct cases in 2024, around 90 % linked to AI use. Many were based solely on Turnitin’s unreliable AI detection tool, later scrapped for inaccuracy. Students said they faced withheld results, job losses and reputational damage while proving their innocence. Academics reported low AI literacy, inconsistent policies and heavy workloads. Experts, including Sydney’s Professor Danny Liu, argue that banning AI is misguided and that universities should instead teach students responsible and transparent use.
Key Points
- ACU recorded nearly 6,000 misconduct cases, most tied to alleged AI use.
- Many accusations were based only on Turnitin’s flawed AI detector.
- Students bore the burden of proof, with long investigation delays.
- ACU has since abandoned the AI tool and introduced training on ethical AI use.
- Experts urge universities to move from policing AI to teaching it responsibly.
Keywords
academic integrity, academic misconduct, AI detection, Australia, ethics, higher education, student rights, Turnitin
URL
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