Lustre and shadows: unveiling the gaps in South African University plagiarism policies amidst the emergence of AI-generated content

Abstract

AbstractIn recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has become a key technology in the field of academic integrity. However, there is a lack of a comprehensive understanding of the legal dimensions of plagiarism in the context of AI. In this study, a theoretical framework that combines the social construction of technology and the legal dimension of plagiarism was used to explore the current construction of plagiarism in South African university plagiarism policies. This study aims to highlight the inadequacy of current plagiarism policies, which primarily focus on the act of copying from others and emphasize the need for a broader perspective that addresses the challenges posed by artificial intelligence in academic integrity in the era of AI-generated content. The author used confirming sampling and data saturation was reached with a sample of ten university plagiarism policies. The findings revealed an inadequacy of the policies on the coverage of AI-generated content and therefore justifying the need to redefine plagiarism in the context of the artificial intelligence revolution. The author concludes by redefining plagiarism and justifying the utility of the recommended definition.