Hong Kong University announced that the use of ChatGPT is prohibited and violation will be regarded as potential plagiarism

The rise of artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT has sparked controversy in educational institutions, with the biggest concern being that students use ChatGPT to write homework and even papers. While it may be understandable to use ChatGPT to check for information, the worry is that students may rely on it to write entire essays, and that ChatGPT may even generate false information. For this reason, many middle and high schools as well as universities in the United States have explicitly prohibited the use of ChatGPT.

The University of Hong Kong is also taking similar measures. Vice President Ho Lap Kee recently sent an internal letter to all faculty and students, stating that ChatGPT is a language model that is shaking up the global education sector, and that the university will take short-term measures to prohibit the use of ChatGPT or other artificial intelligence tools in all in-class assignments and assessments on campus.

If students have a genuine need to use such applications, they must apply in advance and obtain written permission from their course instructor, and any violation of the rules will be treated as potential plagiarism. Additionally, the University of Hong Kong grants teachers additional rights, and if a teacher suspects that individual students are using ChatGPT to complete assignments or write papers, they may require those students to undergo additional oral or on-site exams.

The University of Hong Kong will also discuss the impact of using artificial intelligence tools on teaching and will encourage both teachers and students to participate. In addition, the university will arrange seminars for teachers on ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence tools.