Photo courtesy of edcircuit.com

By David L. Snelling
South Florida Times

MIAMI – Florida public colleges might be required to allow students to use artificial intelligence, known as AI, on campus.

The Florida Department of Education is proposing a new regulation which would mandate all 28 Florida College System institutions to adopt the policies for students’ use of AI.

Those colleges would include HBCU FAMU, Florida State University and Florida State University.

If the new regulation comes to fruition, each college’s board of trustees must outline a plan for students to use AI including limitations and keep a close eye on cheating on assignments.

The plan would prohibit students from using AI on graded assignments unless it’s approved by a college professor.

AI-assisted cheating is increasingly common among college students, with studies showing that a significant portion use AI tools like ChatGPT to complete assignments, though actual misuse varies by frequency, discipline, and access.

Recent research indicates that AI use among college students is widespread, with about two-thirds of undergraduates reporting using generative Al tools, nearly 40 percent using them monthly or more frequently, according to a study by the University of California.

The survey also shows that 9 percent of students who use AI admit to using it to cheat, with daily users more likely to misuse AI (26 percent) compared to monthly users (7 percent).

In the U.S., around 30 percent of students have used AI-powered ChatGPT for assignments, while 48 percent use it for take-home quizzes and 53 percent for essays, according to allaboutai.com.

Globally, AI cheating now accounts for over 60 percent of academic misconduct in some institutions.

Florida’s new proposal is raising some concerns among college professors even with placing limitations on students’ use of AI.

Students employ AI in various ways, including generating essays, solving problems, or even creating codes.

Some students attempt to avoid detection by using AI “humanizer” tools that make AI-generated text appear human-written.

Others submit AI-generated work with minimal edits, while some integrate AI outputs into their own work for partial assistance, according to BestColleges.com.

In most cases, students have even used AI to generate standardized apologies for cheating incidents Ars Technica.

Furthermore, many professors warn that AI can erode foundational skills like writing, critical thinking, and problem-solving.

At the University of Florida, for example, AI use is approved only through a formal risk management process, reflecting caution.

At Florida State University, professors are expected to decide whether AI is appropriate in their courses and to communicate clear policies to students.

A study by the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institute on AI in education, discovered that “given the current trajectory of generative artificial intelligence and its implementation and use, the potential risks to students overshadow the benefits.”

“This is largely because the risks of AI differ in nature from its benefits — that is, these risks undermine children’s foundational development — and may prevent the benefits from being realized,” the study said.

Despite the warnings, the Department of Education is strongly considering the use of AI for 28 public colleges, saying the proposal is to protect academic integrity, support quality education and help students learn to use AI responsibly as they prepare to enter the workforce.

Some Central Florida colleges have already started developing AI rules. Seminole State College has had an AI policy in place for more than a year, according to college President Georgia Lorenz.

“We established an AI task force, which continues to this day, and they developed a policy for the college,” Lorenz said.

The State Board of Education is expected to consider the college proposal Sept. 16.