Wharton Academy embraces generative artificial intelligence (AI) technology and sees it as an important tool for students. Generative AI describes algorithms, such as ChatGPT and other large language models, that can be used to create new content, including text, code, and images.
At the discretion of faculty, instructional teams and staff, Wharton Academy students may use generative AI tools. Please note, however, that the material generated by these tools may produce inaccurate, incomplete, or otherwise problematic content. While these tools, if used properly, can generate new ideas, using them can also stifle students’ independent thinking and creativity.
When students express themselves in Wharton Academy, they must use their voice and words. Using somebody else’s work without crediting the source – including generative AI — is plagiarism. Guided by the policies of faculty, instructional teams, and staff, AI-generated work should be cited like any other reference material, including how and where students used AI-generated information.
While AI can be a helpful tool, students should be mindful of its limitations and ensure their final work reflects their ideas, words, and creativity.
As students navigate the emerging AI landscape, they can look to the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania as a world leader in AI and a reliable source of AI insight and guidance.
For more details on academic honesty, please refer to Penn’s Academic Integrity statement.
Examples of approved AI use
If your instructor allows responsible use of generative AI tools for your coursework, here are some examples of Do’s and Don’ts, and questions you might want to ask yourself to guarantee the accuracy and credibility of your work.
Checklist Questions
After using generative AI tools, it is a good idea to ask yourself these Checklist Questions, to guarantee you haven’t violated Penn’s Code of Academic Integrity. When in doubt, please contact us for guidance.
- Does this submission represent my voice, my opinion, my research? Did I come to my current conclusion before or after using generative AI tools? Does using the tools still allow me to come to my own conclusions?
- Did I verify the information I gathered from generative AI tools, whether it is the research it mentions, or the source it cites? Can I trace all of my citations to academically recognized publications?
- Did I double check the numbers and information are most up-to-date?
- Did I understand the key learnings and how to arrive at the answers without the assistance of generative AI tools?
- Have I checked all the limitations of generative AI tools to make sure my work is credible?
DO'S
- Use it to help you brainstorm or boost your learning efficiency.
- Example prompt: “Can you organize my notes [include your notes here] into an outline?”
- Example prompt: “Can you create flashcards from these glossary terms [input a list of definitions you have learned in class]?”
* Caution: Sharing your original work with generative AI tools may raise privacy concerns, as it is an AI tool that processes input to generate responses. Although user inputs are not directly integrated into the large language model, they are accessible to and stored by OpenAI and may be utilized to improve future versions of the tool.
- Ask for prompts.
- Example prompt: “Can you provide practice problems for [the topic you want to practice more]?”
* Caution: Remember the calculation limitation that generative AI tools have.
- Get both sides of the argument.
- Example prompt: “What are the different perspectives on X?”
*Caution: Remember the limitation as an outdated data source if you want to gather information on more recent events. Also remember the limitation of fake citations. You should still do your own research to verify the different voices.
- Ask for templates. This is comparable to a traditional Google Search.
- Example prompt: “Can you provide me with a 1-page cover letter template?”
- Example prompt: “Can you show me a good infographic template?” Ask for feedback. You can ask for preliminary feedback on written work, which could sometimes be useful.
*Caution: Remember the privacy concerns.
- Use it for language translation. Generative AI tools are powerful in providing more context-based translations.
- Example prompt: “Can you translate [a sentence] in the context of an [specific occasion] into [target language]?”
*Caution: Remember the limitation as an outdated data source. Language transforms quickly and the answer you get might not still reflect how current speakers communicate.
DON'TS
- Don’t paste your homework/exam questions directly as prompts.
- Irresponsible prompt: “Solve this: 3x + 5 = 14”
- Irresponsible prompt: “Write a 5-paragraph essay on the causes of World War II.”
- Don’t directly copy answers from generative AI tools and submit as your own.
- Don’t use AI for personal reflection or opinion-based tasks. We are interested in hearing your opinions, your stories and your thoughts. In our classrooms, your fellow students hope to learn from you, your background, your understanding on the course materials and your thought process, not from a machine.
- Don’t rely on AI for group assignments. Using AI to complete your portion of a group project instead of collaborating with your peers is considered academic dishonesty. Your peers hope to work with you as a team member, not with a machine.
- Don’t use AI to cheat on exams or tests.
- Don’t use AI to paraphrase or rewrite plagiarized content.
- Don’t use AI to fake research or sources.
- Don’t post AI-generated discussion posts within the course community forum.