How South African universities are leading the way in ethical Al practices

SOUTH African universities are adopting a human-centred, ethical and responsible approach to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to balance the threat of academic dishonesty with the need to produce "AI-literate" graduates for a tech-driven world.

- GCWALISILE KHANYILE

SOUTH African universities are adopting a human-centred approach in the use of artificial intelligence.

(Independent Newspapers)

With the development of advanced AI tools, including ChatGPT, where students could prompt AI to write an academic paper in seconds, or solve a math quiz in the blink of an eye, tertiary institutions found themselves in a complex environment where they have to draw the line on what is permissible or not, to preserve academic integrity.

While most universities have AI guidelines, the North-West University (NWU) recently announced that it has become the first South African institution to adopt an official AI policy, transitioning from temporary guidelines to a formal AI Framework Policy.

Professor Anné Verhoef, director of the North-West University Artificial Intelligence Hub, stated that their approach was human-centred and put people first, not technology, and they aimed to use AI to the benefit of people, societies and the environment.

"The policy makes it clear that the NWU wants to embrace AI in a human-centred, ethical and responsible way. These three qualifications of our implementation and integration of AI in all our activities - teaching, learning, research and management form the core pillars of the new policy," Verhoef said.

Using AI ethically is a continuous challenge, and in the context of academic integrity, it means that we should always be honest and transparent about our use of AI. To use AI responsibly meant to use it sustainably, manage risks, use it lawfully, use it critically, verify its sources, identify its biases and more, she stated.