Student Representative Council (SRC) member for policy and transformation, Siphiwayinkhosi Dlamini, says it was the SRC’s suggestion to have the AI detectors removed. “A lot of students were experiencing issues with their work being flagged for AI when it was actually written by them, so we thought it would be progressive to remove AI detection,” he said. 

Dlamini added that the SRC also questioned the ethical foundations of generative AI. 

“We understood that AI models are trained using people’s writing, artwork, and other creative works, which are then used to generate similar content. Because of this, we felt AI amounts to intellectual theft, as it replicates the work of others as its own.”

While UFS has removed AI detection tools, Turnitin’s similarity-checking feature will remain in use to support plagiarism detection and academic writing development. The SRC has proposed that the university introduce a dedicated AI module. 

“We want students to be educated about AI, so there should be a module that teaches students ethical ways of using the technology,” Dlamini said.

Rebuilding academic trust

He noted that efforts are also being made to strengthen the relationship between students and lecturers, particularly between supervisors and postgraduate students. 

“The supervisor should act as the arbiter to ensure that the written work belongs to the student. This can be done by asking questions and prompting students about what they have written. 

“We’re trying to take education back to those earlier days.”

The SRC encourages students to use AI ethically. “We’re not discouraging the use of artificial intelligence. We’re encouraging students to use it responsibly and ethically.”

Dlamini said the decision marks the beginning of a new approach to artificial intelligence at UFS and could signal a shift in how higher education institutions engage with the technology.

“By removing AI detection tools, we’re lifting one burden from students. The focus now should be on teaching students to use AI ethically, ask the right questions, and use the technology to develop their own knowledge.”

OFM News/Siyakholwa Mbatyazwa mvh

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