AI Rules and Responsibilities

Abertay supports the responsible and critical engagement with Generative AI as part of your studies. However:

• Misuse of AI can lead to academic misconduct, depending on your level of study and the rules set in your assessment brief.
• Using AI to generate work on your behalf and presenting it as your own, without acknowledgement, may be treated as academic misconduct under the University’s Code of Student Discipline.
• Tutors and assessment briefs have the final say on what is permitted.

Basic proofreading functions within writing tools such as Microsoft Editor and Grammarly are permitted by default unless your assessment brief explicitly restricts this assistance. A general “no AI” instruction does not, by itself, prohibit basic proofreading. This also applies at AI Assessment Scale (AIAS) Levels 1 and 2 where these are used.

Basic proofreading means identifying or correcting spelling, punctuation and grammar errors in text you have written yourself, without adding substantive content or materially changing your meaning, argument, structure or expression. Review suggested corrections before accepting them.

Generating, drafting, rewriting, paraphrasing, summarising or otherwise materially changing your writing goes beyond basic proofreading. These functions are not permitted where your assessment prohibits Generative AI. Permission depends on what the function does, rather than the product name or setting.

This is a narrow clarification about writing and proofreading tools. Other uses of Generative AI remain governed by your assessment brief and University guidance. Existing approved reasonable adjustments and assistive technology arrangements remain unchanged.

See AI for writing for the fuller explanation.

AI may sometimes be permitted to support your learning. For example, some tutors allow you to use AI for:

• Brainstorming ideas or planning early drafts
• Getting simpler explanations of complex concepts
• Exploring background material or generating an initial outline
• Synthesising perspectives before refining them in your own words

Always check your assessment brief, as requirements vary. For more practical examples of how AI might be allowed to support your studies, see AI for Study Skills, AI for Writing, and AI for Researching a Topic.

AI is not normally allowed to create or replace substantial parts of your academic work. Doing so may be treated as misconduct. Examples include:

• Submitting AI-generated text or images as if they were your own

• Using AI to write large sections of an essay, report, or project

• Copying AI outputs into your work without acknowledgement

Always check your assessment brief, as requirements vary. Acknowledging AI use does not make it acceptable where that use is prohibited by your assessment brief.

To understand more about why these uses are risky, see AI Risks and Limitations.

Transparency is key to responsible AI use. To maintain academic integrity, you should:

• Keep drafts and other records of how your work develops. See Saving, Backups, and File Versions for more guidance.
• Acknowledge AI use where it has contributed to your work (see Acknowledging AI use).
• Follow the University’s guidance on referencing AI. Normally you should acknowledge AI use (not cite or reference it), unless your tutor or assessment requires otherwise (see Referencing AI).
• Be open with tutors about when and how you’ve used AI.
• If your Support and Personal Development (S&PD) plan includes an AI digital sticker, use it as instructed. The sticker covers only the tools and uses approved in your plan

AI and academic misconduct

The University’s Code of Student Discipline: Academic Misconduct treats misuse of AI as a form of academic misconduct: specifically, using AI tools to generate work and presenting its ideas as your own without proper acknowledgement.

Misusing AI in this way is treated in the same way as other offences, including plagiarism, contract cheating, and falsification of data. The policy applies to all assessed work, including in-class, online and off-campus assessments.

If a breach is suspected, the University may investigate under its academic misconduct procedures. If misconduct is established, sanctions may be applied depending on the severity of the offence.

Staff may consult Turnitin’s AI Writing Indicator when reviewing written work. Its results may prompt further review, but do not prove AI use or academic misconduct and must not be used as the sole evidential basis for a misconduct decision. Staff must also consider your work, the assessment brief and other relevant evidence.

Use of a particular writing tool or setting does not, by itself, establish that prohibited Generative AI use occurred.

For more information, see our page on Turnitin's AI Writing Indicator.

The university provides important support when it comes to AI use:

• You must be told clearly if AI use is restricted in a module or assessment.
• If your 2026–27 assessment brief says “no AI” but leaves the position on basic proofreading unclear, ask your Module Leader for written clarification. This should normally be shared with the whole cohort through MyLearningSpace.
• If your work is flagged for possible AI use, you will have the chance to discuss this with staff.
• You are entitled to guidance on using AI responsibly. Ask your tutor about assessment permissions. For help with using AI in your studies, use the Skills Hub guides, which include contact details for further support.