Department of Technology and Society Policy for Using Generative AI (GAI) and Large Language Models (LLMs)
The Department of Technology and Society (DTS) has adopted a policy on the use of Generative AI and Large Language Models (“AI”) in courses, research, and academic activities. Aligned with university-wide guidelines (located HERE), this policy reflects DTS's interdisciplinary mission to examine the ethical, social, and cultural impacts of technology while strengthening students' analytical and communication skills.
As AI becomes more influential, the policy provides clear guidance to promote responsible use, uphold academic integrity, and prevent ethical issues. It applies to all DTS academic contexts and will be updated regularly to reflect technological developments.
Crucially, AI tools are intended to support—not replace—students’ independent reasoning and understanding. Through this policy, DTS aims to foster thoughtful, ethical engagement with AI across its academic community.
Individual Instructor and Course Policies:
The seven general rules are the default DTS AI policy for courses and other department work. All instructors who wish to define their own custom AI policy must publish it on their class website, in syllabi, and/or in assignment documents in accord with Rule 7 above.
For undergraduate courses, prior permission for an individual policy must be received in writing from the UPD.
Instructors of all graduate coursework are urged to discuss individual AI policies with the GPD prior to instituting it.
General Rules:
- AI use must be attributed (e.g., you must cite your AI software and version and the prompts that were used, and the portion of the submittal that is the result of AI use).
- AI may not be used as a wholesale substitute for the work expected to be that of students: homework solutions, paper summaries, or major course writing (essays and papers).
- AI should have very limited use in serious academic work (papers, theses, and dissertations) and then only if it is integral to the work itself (e.g., developing LLMs or a thesis on AI itself).
- AI may be used for brainstorming ideas, for exam preparation, for finding initial information, for generating initial lists of ideas and/or related papers to investigate, and for some image generation.
- AI may be used to polish text you have written (e.g., like an advanced spell/syntax checker).
- Whether AI is used or not, students should be able to stand in front of a class, instructors, and/or TAs, and explain their coursework using their own words, whether in an informal seminar or more formally in writing such as an exam.
- This AI policy must be included in the class website and on the class syllabus.