Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that artificial intelligence is not used for plagiarism by students in (a) schools and (b) universities.

The department wishes to capitalise on the opportunities technology, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), presents for education as well as addressing its risks and challenges.

The department published an overarching policy paper on generative AI in education in March 2023. This paper includes a section on formal assessments and is clear that schools, colleges, universities, and exam boards need to continue to take reasonable steps to prevent malpractice involving the use of generative AI.

There are strict rules in place, set by exam boards, to ensure pupils’ work is their own. Sanctions for cheating are serious, and they include being disqualified from a qualification. The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) regulates qualifications, examinations and assessments in England and speaks regularly with exam boards about risks, including malpractice risks. Ofqual expects regulated exam boards to carefully consider the potential impacts AI may have on their qualifications and, where necessary, make changes to the way in which their qualifications are designed or delivered in response.

In March 2023, The Joint Council for Qualifications published gudiance on the use of AI in assessments to support teachers and exam centres in protecting the integrity of qualifications. This guidance includes information on what counts as AI misuse and the requirements for teachers and exam centres to help prevent and detect malpractice. The guidance is available at: https://www.jcq.org.uk/exams-office/malpractice/artificial-intelligence/.

The UK Standing Committee for Quality Assessment has also issued advice on how AI is catalysing good pedagogical practice in higher education (HE). Universities must ensure there is rigour and consistency in assessment practices and that the awards and qualifications granted to students are credible and hold their value, which includes identifying cheating using AI. This is a condition of universities’ registration with the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS has also given advice to HE providers on contract cheating and essay mills.