Source
Inside Higher Ed
Summary
Julie McCown, an associate professor of English at Southern Utah University, argues that mandatory AI disclosure statements in higher education are counterproductive. Initially designed to promote transparency and responsible use, these statements have instead reinforced a culture of guilt, distrust, and surveillance. McCown contends that disclosure requirements stigmatise ethical AI use and inhibit open dialogue between students and educators. Rather than policing AI use, she advocates normalising it within learning environments, rethinking assessment design, and fostering trust. Transparency, she suggests, emerges from safety and shared experimentation, not coercion.
Key Points
- Mandatory AI disclosure creates a culture of confession and distrust.
- Research shows disclosure reduces perceived trustworthiness regardless of context.
- Anti-AI bias drives use underground and suppresses AI literacy.
- Assignments should focus on quality and integrity of writing, not AI detection.
- Normalising AI through reflective practice and open discussion builds genuine transparency.
Keywords
academic integrity, AI disclosure, AI literacy, assessment design, higher education, pedagogy, responsible AI use, student engagement, Transparency, trust
URL
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