(1) This Policy aims to ensure that adoption of Artificial Intelligence in ACU’s education, research, research training and operations is undertaken ethically, responsibly, fairly and lawfully. (2) This Policy applies to all University Members, staff and students. (3) There is an obligation on staff to adhere to the Principles in academic activities at ACU. (4) The Principles of this Policy apply in the context of partnership arrangements involving local and international organisations including academic institutions, Church, community, government, and industry groups. (5) In this Policy, the following terms are used as defined. (6) At Australian Catholic University (ACU) we are committed by our Mission to the pursuit of knowledge, the dignity of the human person and the common good. We acknowledge the emerging role of Artificial Intelligence and the transformative potential of these technologies in the lives of our staff and students, and the communities we serve. The use of Artificial Intelligence must adhere to national and international laws and ethical standards. Artificial Intelligence technologies offer enormous potential in learning and teaching but can also bring a broad spectrum of potential risks such as privacy violations, security breaches, cheating, misinformation, bias and discrimination. The following Principles help guide our institutional approach to Artificial Intelligence. (7) Respect for Human Dignity and the Common Good: Artificial Intelligence related activities are to be developed, implemented and applied in ways that respect the fundamental rights of individuals, protect human dignity and contribute towards the common good, in particular the welfare of those in greatest need or at greatest risk. (8) Promotion of Human Flourishing: Artificial Intelligence technologies are to be used so as to promote human flourishing by enhancing individual well-being, fostering personal and academic growth, cultivating our sense of meaning and purpose, building character and supporting excellent social connections. (9) Integration with the Search for Knowledge and Wisdom: Artificial Intelligence technologies are to support and not undermine the human search for knowledge, and to increase and not diminish individuals’ growth in wisdom and truthfulness. (10) Responsibility and Accountability: The use of Artificial Intelligence technologies is to be transparent, including disclosure over who is accountable for specific input and impact of Artificial Intelligence, as well as regular evaluation and assessment of the performance, compliance, safety and security of Artificial Intelligence systems. (11) Transparency and Explainability: Artificial Intelligence technologies are to be developed and used in a transparent and understandable manner. Artificial Intelligence methodologies, algorithms and decision-making processes are to be communicated clearly, easily accessible and readily understood by both technical and non-technical audiences. (12) Equitable Access: The University is to promote, and where appropriate provide, fair and equitable access to Artificial Intelligence technologies and the benefits of Artificial Intelligence. (13) Human Decision-Making: Human decision-making is the focus for trust and culture, and Artificial Intelligence must only be used as a tool to supplement human decision-making rather than replace it. Humans retain active responsibility for decisions made with Artificial Intelligence support. (14) Confidentiality and Privacy: The respect for privacy is to be upheld in all Artificial Intelligence related activities at ACU and integrated into the design and development of Artificial Intelligence systems as a core component of the system architecture and functionality, ensuring privacy risks are assessed and mitigated appropriately prior to and during use. ACU will ensure informed consent is secured for the use of personal data, it is transparent about its usage and considerate of the risk to individuals. (15) Academic and Research Integrity: ACU will maintain and reinforce academic and research integrity by establishing clear guidelines on how Artificial Intelligence can be used in teaching, learning, assessment and research. Students and staff should be educated on the ethical, legal, and social implications of Artificial Intelligence, and should consider the creative and appropriate uses of Artificial Intelligence to foster a responsible approach. (16) Pedagogical Effectiveness: ACU will integrate Artificial Intelligence tools to enhance teaching and learning delivery and outcomes where appropriate, particularly by reducing administrative burden, and encouraging innovation. Staff should develop and deliver curriculum content that integrates current Artificial Intelligence technologies and concepts, ensuring relevance to modern industry and societal needs. (17) Student Success: ACU will integrate Artificial Intelligence tools to improve student engagement, support individualised learning needs, broaden accessibility and enhance the overall educational experience and outcomes for all students, regardless of background. (18) Research Excellence: ACU will integrate Artificial Intelligence with traditional research practices where appropriate, by balancing the technical benefits of Artificial Intelligence with ethical considerations, suitability and human oversight to empower researchers to accelerate discovery, innovate, optimise research processes and broaden the impact of research outcomes. The use of Artificial Intelligence in research will be subject to clear governance, ethical guidelines, continuous education and training, accountability and transparency. (19) Collaborative Engagement and Community Contribution: Where appropriate, staff should seek collaboration with industry, government, and community organisations to advance the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence. ACU will encourage partnerships and projects that involve external stakeholders, contribute to community understanding and address real-world challenges with Artificial Intelligence. (20) In accordance with the Policy Development and Review Policy, this Policy is scheduled for review every five years. (21) Enquiries relating to this Policy can be made to the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education). (22) For purposes of this Policy, the following authorities apply:Principles for Use of Artificial Intelligence in Teaching, Research and Research Training Policy
Section 1 - Purpose
Section 2 - Scope
Section 3 - Definitions
Top of Page
Term
Definition
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Artificial Intelligence is a broad field of computer science focused on creating systems or processes that can perform human-like intelligence or functions. Artificial Intelligence uses algorithms to analyse data, classify information, solve problems or automate tasks based on predefined rules or datasets. It can classify, make predictions or arguably, decisions similar to a human expert in a particular field (e.g., medical diagnosis or financial analysis), or be designed to perform specific tasks such as driving and speech recognition.
Generative AI (GenAI)
GenAI is a subset of Artificial Intelligence, designed to generate new data or content by learning patterns from large scale datasets. GenAI models, like GANs (Generative Adversarial Networks) and transformer-based models such as GPT can generate highly complex outputs such as text, image, artwork, music, code, and videos that resemble human creations.
Section 4 - Policy Statement and Principles
Core Principles
Academic Principles
Section 5 - Review
Section 6 - Further Assistance
Section 7 - Roles and Responsibilities
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Approval Authority
The Academic Board is the Approval Authority for this Policy.
Governing Authority
The Artificial Intelligence Council is the Governing Authority for this Policy.
Responsible Officer
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) is the Responsible Officer for this Policy.