Ethics of Artificial Intelligence in Academic Research and Education

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) includes an array of rapidly advancing technologies with astonishing abilities that may outperform human brain in certain functions, related to the huge size of the memory, speed, and multilayer processing of data in AI systems. There are concerns over the potential for unethical uses of AI by various entities, including the academic community itself, some of whom are engaged in AI research and development. It has therefore been emphasized that AI research and development should be specifically directed at its potential benefits and avoid areas of possible misuse or abuse. However, sometimes, the possible applications of a basic research project are not apparent until far too late in the outcomes of the project. Also, a beneficial AI tool may later be misused in a different capacity. This chapter first provides a concise review of the main ethical issues of AI research and development as related to academic integrity and then discusses some better-known applications of AI with possible misuse in academic tasks, such as in generating texts for submission as one’s own work and the use of AI in proctoring online examinations. There are further concerns over the intrusion of AI into the privacy of students and over AI bias and discrimination especially against minorities. Other ethical issues may occur when new AI applications are developed. The purpose of the chapter is to engage the readers in a dynamic discussion and debate over the research and development of powerful systems that can have a major influence on their academic career.