The following information was previously included in an April 2025 Teaching Guide created by the Teaching and Learning Center.
Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the development of computer systems that can perform tasks typically requiring human intellectual activities such as reasoning, learning, problem-solving, perception, and language understanding. Generative AI (GenAI) is a subset of artificial intelligence focused on creating new data, rather than making predictions based on existing data. This can take the form of text, images, code, music, or videos.
As GenAI continues to grow and evolve, its widespread use by students and opportunities for use in teaching and learning make it critical for instructors to reflect on how it affects the courses they teach. This resource offers instructors guidance on deciding whether to implement tools in courses as well as creating a GenAI class policy.
Before discussing GenAI tools with your students, creating a GenAI policy for your course, or deciding whether to implement tools in your class, consider taking some time to reflect on your experience with GenAI, its relevance to your course, your ethical concerns, and how and where you might rethink your course to incorporate GenAI. Consider working through these questions, and if you have further questions or concerns, you can get in touch with an instructional designer to discuss with you.
Guiding Questions
- How do you want students to engage with GenAI in your course: What are skills and knowledge that you need students to practice, apply, and develop on their own? What aspects of their learning could be supplemented by GenAI?
- How (and when) you will discuss the AI statement with students: How will you talk to students about your statement, particularly how it aligns with your teaching goals and students’ learning outcomes. See additional strategies for Communicating with Your Students about GenAI.
- How GenAI contributions are logged and cited: If GenAI is permitted, how should students document their interactions with GenAI (e.g., cite it where relevant, attach appendices with chat logs)? How should they document their own contributions that do not involve AI (e.g., submit a google doc with version history, handwritten outlines or worksheets)?
- How to address the rapid change in GenAI tools, features, and policies: It may help to add a note allowing for changes to the statement and how you will communicate changes with students.
Below are three example syllabus statements adapted from UIC’s AI Writing Tools guide that instructors could include or adapt in their syllabus.
Not permitting AI in class
The use of AI writing tools (including, but not limited to, ChatGPT) is not permitted in this course. Students who use these tools for class assignments undermine the goals and learning objectives for this course, reducing the effectiveness of instruction. Any confirmed use of AI writing tools will be treated as academic dishonesty (see the UCLA Academic Integrity statement for more information).
Limited Use of AI in class with citation
The recent advances in AI technology are already transforming the ways humans communicate. In order to prepare students for an AI-infused world, the use of AI writing tools in this class is permitted in some ways. Students are encouraged to use AI writing tools (such as ChatGPT) to generate ideas for their writing and coursework in this class; however, it is expected that all AI-generated content be reviewed, edited, and verified for accuracy before submission. Please note that you need to cite the specific AI writing tool as a source if you present any significant amount (i.e., more than one sentence) of minimally edited AI-generated text as your own. Please review the APA or MLA guidelines for citing generative AI writing tools.
Permitting AI in Class
The recent advances in AI technology are already transforming the ways humans communicate. In order to prepare students for AI-assisted work, the use of AI writing tools is permitted in this course with no restrictions. Note that this policy may be revised in light of other policies and novel technological developments in AI tools.
Additional Examples
There are many additional examples from various institutions in this crowdsourced document: Syllabi Policies for AI Generative Tools. You can read through other educators’ submissions for syllabus statements, use them in your syllabus, and submit your own policy.
Plagiarism concerns
If you have concerns about a student using GenAI tools to plagiarize work in your class, please follow the Guidance for Addressing Suspected AI Misconduct. You can also refer to established publications’ statements on AI and authorship. Some examples are Science’s policy on Image and Text Integrity, Nature’s policy on Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Modern Language Association’s Policy on Generative AI, and APA Journals policy on generative AI: Additional guidance.
Learn more about UCLA policy on GenAI and find additional resources from our partner campus teaching and learning organizations:
UCLA Academic Senate, Teaching Guidance for ChatGPT and Related AI Developments
UCLA HumTech, AI Toolkit for the Humanities Classroom
UCLA DTS, Generative AI