Universities have been grappling with the use of generative AI. (File photo) Photo: RNZ
An entire class of students at Lincoln University will need to be re-tested in person after a third were suspected of cheating by using AI in an assignment.
About 120 postgraduate finance students would need to explain their code, after a lecturer raised questions whether some used generative AI tools.
University Provost Chad Hewitt told Morning Report a significant number of students showed an "unexpected level of proficiency".
"As a consequence, the lecturer has asked the students to explain the code to him, which they should be able to do [if no AI was used]."
The lecturer raised the alarm after a significant amount of similarities were found in the assignments, Hewitt said, and an assumption was made that AI had been used.
"If there's sufficient information it was used an academic investigation would occur. In this instance it's such a substantive proportion of the class I think it is right to do so.
"My understanding is it was about one third of the class."
He said the lecturer's response was softer than simply referring students under suspicion to a misconduct investigation.
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