Code of Ethics for Students

A New Perspective on Ethical Use of AI

Education does two vital things: first, it leads students as they develop their conception of what goodness looks like in the world; second, it provides the skill, courage, and wisdom for them to deploy their vision. Combined, these are essential to students flourishing.

In the age of AI, ethics should not solely be viewed as restriction. Instead, it should be about awakening students' inner moral voices so that they can choose something not because they're told to, but because they deeply feel it's right. This inner compass is more powerful than rules and will ultimately be the surest path to genuinely responsible and creative AI use.

AI Code of Ethics Student Pledge

This code of ethical conduct functions with the belief that students be active participants in the discussion surrounding policy directly affecting their education.

When policies frame ethical use through broad terms such as "empowerment" or "human-centered," students are often left wondering what this looks like in actual practice.

An AI Code of Ethics Pledge addresses this gap by providing all students a concrete starting point. It is intended to be inspirational rather than preventative in nature. Through this connection, it will prompt students to make decisions not for the sake of rule-following alone, but because of more powerful convictions that come from within, a judgement that will define the next generation of ethical leaders.

1. EMPOWERMENT: I will approach AI with curiosity, wonder, and a desire to learn. This means, whenever I encounter a situation where AI could be used, I will pause and ask: "why am I using AI? To learn, build, create, and grow? Or to bypass deep understanding and take shortcuts."

2. AUTHENTICITY: I will take pride in my work by ensuring that it reflects my unique voice, perspectives, and interests. To this end, I will be transparent about my use of AI, explaining how I used it throughout the process and what contributions it made.

3. COURAGE: I will strive to do the right thing when nobody is watching, starting with small choices: choosing to not use AI on one homework problem, creating an essay outline instead of using AI to brainstorm, or reading a chapter instead of asking AI for a summary.

4. PURPOSE: I will reflect on my values and ultimate goals in education, shaping my use of AI to align with these values and harnessing it for my great potential.