Tags: Claude

Use of Artificial Intelligence and Generative AI

Background

Generative AI refers to a class of Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems capable of creating new content such as text, images, audio, or video. These systems, including but not limited to ChatGPT, Claude, DALL·E, Stable Diffusion, Copilot, and Gemini, are trained on large datasets and produce outputs that may appear original but are synthesized from existing knowledge. These tools are increasingly integrated into professional, academic, and creative workstreams, and their use is growing rapidly. Students must be prepared to use AI responsibly, ethically, socially, and legally. AI literacy, the ability to understand, evaluate, and appropriately apply generative AI, is now a foundational aspect of digital literacy. The ability to use AI well is increasingly treated as a professional skill. However, students must also critically engage with concerns about bias, discrimination, accuracy, privacy, security, intellectual property, and the broader implications of using AI in academia, business, and government.

Purpose

In addition to Seton Hall University’s Academic and Professional Integrity Policy, this course-specific AI policy outlines the appropriate and ethical use of AI in all work that involves original thought, analysis, or written expression by the student, including discussion boards, blog posts, research papers or projects, and exams. AI should be viewed as augmented intelligence. It does not replace a student’s independent thinking, but can support learning and skill development. AI tools may enhance critical thinking, legal reasoning, communication, and collaboration, but their use must be transparent, limited, and ethically grounded.

Permissible Use

Students may use the following types of AI tools, as appropriate for each assignment:

  • Language-based tools: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, etc.
  • Code generation tools: GitHub Copilot (where applicable)
  • Writing enhancement tools: Grammarly, Quillbot, etc.
  • Research assistance tools: Perplexity, consensus.ai

Permitted uses include:

  • Brainstorming ideas or organizing an outline
  • Role-playing or scenario generation for simulations
  • Clarifying legal concepts or summarizing case law (with verification)
  • Drafting alternative perspectives for comparison and critique

Guidelines for AI Usage

  • Understanding: Students must understand how each AI tool functions, including its limitations, biases, and potential inaccuracies.
  • Originality: AI may supplement, but never substitute for, your independent thought. All written work must reflect your analysis and reasoning.
  • Transparency: Every use of AI must be fully disclosed according to the AI Use Disclosure requirements outlined below.
  • Verification: All AI-generated material must be critically evaluated and verified against credible sources. AI often produces outputs that are inaccurate, misleading, or fabricated.
  • Non-substitution: AI may not be used to generate full responses to assignments or to complete work intended to measure your understanding.

Prohibited Use

Students may not use generative AI:

  • To generate content intended to be submitted as original work without significant revision and verification
  • To complete exams, quizzes, or assessments designated as “no AI permitted”
  • To generate responses submitted under multiple names or to multiple courses
  • To fabricate citations, references, case law, or quotations
  • To bypass or minimally edit AI output to appear original

Any violation of these standards will be considered an academic integrity issue and handled per university policy.

AI Use Disclosure

For each writing assignment, project, or submission that includes AI assistance, students must include a disclosure that addresses the following:

  1. Identify the AI tool(s) you used (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini)
  2. Describe the purpose of your AI use (e.g., brainstorming, outlining, language refinement)
  3. Include 1–2 sample prompts or queries, with links to the generated output if applicable
  4. Explain how you verified the accuracy of the AI-generated content
  5. Reflect on what you learned from using AI and how it affected your approach to the assignment

Sample Disclosure:

I used ChatGPT to help brainstorm defenses in a digital contract dispute. Prompt: “insert actual prompt.” The model suggested several potential arguments, which I reviewed against case law and narrowed down to two credible defenses. AI helped surface common defenses, but introduced some incorrect terminology I had to correct.

Assignment Directions

Refer to individual assignment instructions and grading rubrics for specific permissions or restrictions on AI use. Some assignments may prohibit AI entirely, while others may encourage structured engagement.

Academic Integrity

This policy complements and reinforces the Seton Hall University Academic and Professional Integrity Policy. All students are expected to:

  • Ensure the authenticity of their work, even when AI tools are used
  • Avoid plagiarism and fabrication, including misuse of AI-generated content
  • Disclose all AI use as outlined above
  • Uphold the ethical use of AI consistent with standards emerging in professional and legal fields.

Violations may result in academic penalties, including failure on the assignment or course, and referral to the appropriate university authority.

Evaluation and Review

This policy will be periodically reviewed and updated to reflect advances in generative AI, student feedback, and institutional guidance. Feedback is welcome and may be submitted to your instructor. For Instructor Disclosure: To see how I use AI in developing ShannonWeb materials and instruction, read AI Use. N.B. This policy was developed using generative AI in consultation with Professor Susan O’Sullivan-Gavin. Updated: October 1, 2026

Use of Artificial Intelligence and GenAI 05/25/24

Why?

Generative AI refers to a class of Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems that can create or generate new content, such as text, images, audio, or video. These systems are trained on large amounts of data and use statistical techniques to learn the patterns and characteristics of the data. Once trained, they can generate new content similar to the training data but not identical. Generative AI models include diverse applications, including natural language processing, computer vision, speech recognition, and more.

Generative AI applications include but are not limited to, ChatGPT, DALL-E, Stable Diffusion, CoPilot, and Claude 3, among others. DALL-E is a generative AI model developed by OpenAI. It is a variant of the GPT-3 model that can generate images from text descriptions. ChatGPT is a large-scale pre-trained language model also developed by OpenAI. It is based on transformer architecture and is trained on massive text data, allowing it to generate human-like text.

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) has grown tremendously since its release in November 2022.  AI use in business is anticipated to grow “…37.3% between 2023 and 2030.”  Accordingly, students must be prepared to use AI responsibly, ethically, socially, and legally. AI literacy skills are a component of digital literacy that students must strive to learn and apply as it is anticipated that “Employees more skilled at deriving value from AI are more likely to be high performers, compared with those lacking AI skills.” When using AI, students must learn the advantages and disadvantages of any new technology. Students should be aware that the use of AI in academia, business, and government raises concerns about accessibility, bias, discrimination, security, privacy, law (including intellectual property issues), ethical issues, the accuracy of information generated, transparency, and governance, both private, state, and federal.

Purpose

In addition to the Academic and Professional Integrity Policy, this AI course policy outlines the appropriate and ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI) in all writing assignments requiring original work of the student, i.e.,  discussion boards, blog posts, research papers/projects, and exams. AI should be viewed as augmented intelligence rather than artificial intelligence. It does not replace a person’s intelligence, reasoning, or critical thinking but supplements it in various ways. AI in writing assignments is permitted under certain conditions to enhance learning outcomes and foster critical thinking skills. AI tools should be utilized primarily as learning aids to support students in developing writing skills, understanding grammar rules, improving language proficiency, and furthering their knowledge of the course content.

Permissible Use

Under the following guidelines, students can use AI tools to write assignments in limited amounts. AI tools may include, but are not limited to, spell and grammar checkers, plagiarism detectors, language enhancement software, and large language models, including but not limited to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude, Google Gemini, and Microsoft GitHub Copilot.

Guidelines for AI Usage

    1. Understanding: Students should have a basic understanding of how AI tools work and their limitations. They should rely on more than just AI-generated content; they should critically evaluate and integrate it into their writing.
    1. Originality: AI-generated content should supplement students’ original ideas rather than substitute for independent thought and analysis. Plagiarism of AI-generated content is strictly prohibited. AI tools should be used for initial brainstorming, outlining, and content development. Students are responsible for creating content in response to writing assignments (discussion boards, etc.) and creating original content for their research papers/projects. 
    1. Transparency: Students must disclose the use of AI tools in their writing assignments. This includes acknowledging the specific tools used and their contribution to the assignment:
      • Generative AI should not be used to generate content that is discriminatory or offensive in any way.
      • Generative AI may not be used to generate content intended to be submitted as your original work.
      • All AI generative prompts must be disclosed/provided before your original content appears.
      • Students are responsible for ensuring that any AI-generated information is accurate, fact-checked against credible sources, and up to date.
      • Students must not use generative AI to generate work submitted under multiple names or pseudonyms.
      • Students must refrain from using generative AI to generate work submitted to multiple assignments or courses.
      • Students must refrain from using generative AI to generate work submitted as their own after making minimal changes.
      • Generative AI results are generated based on data on which the AI tool is trained and may be similar to existing work(s). Students must use their judgment and critical thinking to avoid plagiarism.
      • Students must indicate when they have used AI-generated content in their work and provide appropriate citations.

Assignment Directions

In addition to these guidelines, please review specific assignment directions and grading rubrics regarding the use, incorporation, and disclosure of AI tools. 

Academic Integrity

  1. Plagiarism: Submitting AI-generated content or any other material without proper attribution/citation constitutes plagiarism and will be subject to disciplinary action per Seton Hall University’s Code of Academic Integrity.
  1. Authenticity: Students are responsible for the authenticity and originality of their work, even when utilizing AI tools. They should ensure that their writing reflects their understanding and interpretation of the subject matter.
  1. Assessment: Students’ work will be assessed based on the quality of their writing, critical thinking skills, and adherence to academic standards, including disclosure of the use of AI tools. Students will not be assessed solely on their use of AI tools.
  1. Compliance: All students are required to comply with this AI policy. Non-compliance may result in academic penalties or disciplinary actions per Seton Hall University’s policies and procedures.

AI Use Disclosure

For each writing assignment, project, submission, etc.

  • Identify which, if any, AI tool(s) you used, and
  • Identify all prompts/queries that you used (include hyperlinks to all AI tools, prompts/queries, searches, and generated output, and
  • Discuss what you learned from those prompts/queries and
  • Describe how you verified the accuracy and truth of the AI content generated and
  • Reflect on the impact of using AI tools on the effectiveness of your research and your writing assignment, project, submission, etc.

Evaluation and Review of this Policy

This policy will be periodically reviewed to ensure its effectiveness in promoting academic integrity, learning outcomes, and the ethical use of AI in writing assignments. Students’ feedback is appreciated so that necessary revisions can be made.

NB: This policy was developed using AI platforms in consultation with Professor Susan O’Sullivan-Gavin.

Updated: May 5, 2024