Too many university students can use artificial intelligence to complete assessments without staff finding out, the higher education regulator in England has warned.
The Office for Students (OfS) said "a significant proportion" of assessments are unsupervised and that many can be completed to a high standard with AI, sometimes in minutes. It said this poses a "significant risk" to their credibility and that closed-book and practical exams are the most effective forms of assessment.
Universities that do not meet OfS quality standards could soon be banned from charging increased tuition fees or have caps imposed on their student numbers, under proposals now out for consultation.
The research, from the OfS and Advance HE, a charity that gives awards for teaching excellence, is based on the views of 244 higher education staff and 91 students at 127 or more universities. It found it was "frequently possible" for students to use AI "in ways that cannot be reliably detected." Unsupervised assessments can include coursework and remote online exams.
The OfS said it had heard of cases where students completed entire assessments within minutes using AI and received grades similar to those who had not used it. Some staff were receiving many assignments that looked the same and did not think their institution's assessments were fit for purpose. Others described a "polarized atmosphere" between students who use AI and "conscientious objectors" who avoid it on environmental and other grounds.
Josh Fleming, director of strategy and delivery at the OfS, said there are "fantastic" examples of universities seizing the opportunities AI offers, but that there should be "far greater use of AI-free assessment." He called it "a generational risk to the system," threatening to undermine students' learning and institutions' ability to assess them.
The research said there is "an urgent need" to make sure remote or non-secure assessments remain valid despite AI. If an assessment can be completed using AI without the knowledge and skills being tested, it should be replaced, the report said.
Universities UK, which represents more than 140 institutions, said many universities have made substantial changes, including more in-person exams, presentations, vivas and assessments that integrate AI in a controlled way. A spokesperson said different subjects will need different approaches.
