Student Guidelines for Learning with AI 

These guidelines (download PDF) help students understand how to responsibly, transparently and effectively use AI in coursework. They clarify how to maintain academic integrity, protect your privacy and data security, and thoughtfully engage with AI-generated content. Recognizing that courses and programs have different expectations, always refer to your instructor’s guidance and course syllabus, and when in doubt, seek clarification before using AI tools.

Using AI and Upholding Academic Integrity

• Always follow AI-use guidelines explicitly stated by your instructor in your course syllabus and assignments.

• If the guidelines are unclear or absent, ask your instructor before using AI tools.

• Always transparently disclose and accurately cite AI-generated content in your submissions, as directed by your instructor. Refer to SFU-approved citation resources for appropriate practices.

• AI can be used to support your learning, never as a substitute for your own critical thinking or analysis.

• Maintain academic rigor when using AI. Do not accept AI-generated content at face value, as these tools are known to produce inaccurate information. Always verify facts and sources against trusted academic materials before submitting your work. You are responsible for all submitted work, including ensuring it does not inadvertently involve plagiarism or violate copyright laws (e.g., Canada Copyright Act) or university Intellectual Property (R30.03) and Copyright policies (R30.04).

• Do not rely on AI detectors, as these tools can be unreliable, biased and may unintentionally comprise your learning and well-being. AI detectors cannot be used for grading decisions or academic misconduct investigations.

• Keep clear records of your AI prompts, outputs, and modifications to ensure proper citation of your work as you progress through assignments.

Privacy and Data Security

• Use AI tools explicitly approved by your instructor as deemed appropriate within the course’s disciplinary context.

• Be aware that inputting your (or your peers') original academic work into AI tools can result in unintended sharing or distribution. Only do so if explicitly directed by your instructor. 

• Protect your privacy when using AI tools. Do not share your or others’ personal details, confidential information, or sensitive data (and others’) with AI applications that are not vetted or provided by SFU. Always safeguard personal data and follow responsible AI use as stated in your course syllabus.

• Promptly discuss any privacy or data security concerns with your instructor.

• Respect copyright and intellectual property when using AI tools. If in doubt, consult your instructor and SFU’s copyright for students guidelines. 

Accessibility and Responsibility

• If AI use or a specific AI tool is required in your course and you face accessibility challenges or other barriers, promptly inform your instructor to discuss suitable accommodations or alternative solutions.

• Actively participate in course activities and assignments designed to critically evaluate AI-generated content, assessing its accuracy, biases, stereotypes, and potential discriminatory information, especially concerning sensitive cultural or social issues.

• Respect your classmates' personal, or cultural choices regarding their use of AI, especially in course components that require collaboration such as group projects.

• Use AI in a manner that respects Indigenous cultural protocols and data sovereignty. Do not submit or generate content involving Indigenous knowledge or sensitive cultural data without proper authority. Be mindful that AI models may produce biased or harmful representations of cultural groups; students are expected to actively avoid reinforcing stereotypes or misuse of cultural information.

Critical AI Literacy

• Avoid overreliance on AI tools, ensuring you build independent analytical, critical thinking, and creative skills necessary for your academic growth and future career.

• Strengthen your AI literacy by actively engaging with SFU-provided resources, workshops, and training, ensuring you understand the capabilities, limitations, and use them responsibly and knowledgeably.

• Participate actively in course activities aimed at strengthening your ability to critically evaluate AI-generated content.

• Reflect on potential biases, inaccuracies, and implications of AI outputs as part of your coursework.

• Foster critical digital literacy by actively critiquing and improving AI-generated information.

• Critically assess and choose AI tools only when they provide clear educational benefits to minimize ecological impact, aligning your usage with SFU’s sustainability and climate commitments. 

Graduate Student Guidelines for Navigating AI in Academic Research 

These guidelines (download PDF) help you, as a SFU graduate student, responsibly use AI in your research and thesis work. Given the specialized nature of graduate studies, always consult with your supervisor and supervisory committee regarding AI usage to ensure your decisions align with disciplinary standards, academic integrity, and privacy requirements. AI use in your coursework should follow the guidelines above.  

Using AI and Upholding Academic Integrity

• Discuss the use of AI tools with your direct supervisor and, if necessary, your supervisory committee. Additionally, complete any AI training required by your department, faculty, or the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

• Transparently disclose and accurately cite AI-generated content in your thesis and/or journal articles either in an acknowledgements or a methods section. An AI disclosure page for thesis template is coming soon.

• Never use AI as a replacement for your own critical thinking, creativity, or originality, but instead only to support your research and analysis, as permitted by your supervisor.

• Always verify the accuracy and credibility of AI-generated content before including it in your thesis or other writing/research material, as you remain responsible for the submitted work.

• Clearly document and justify your use of AI tools, explaining specifically how they were integrated into your research design, data collection, analysis, and writing processes.

• Avoid relying on AI detectors to check originality due to their unreliability and biases; always independently review your work carefully and seek the guidance of your supervisor and/or supervisory committee members.

Privacy, Data Security, and Intellectual Property 

• Only use AI tools explicitly approved by your supervisor as deemed appropriate within your disciplinary context.

• Do not upload sensitive, confidential, or proprietary information (including research data or participant details) into AI platforms.

• Clearly inform research participants if AI tools will be used to record or analyze their data. Ensure they understand how the tools will be used and obtain explicit informed consent in accordance with SFU’s ethics protocol. 

• Protect your intellectual property by refraining from inputting unpublished findings or original ideas into AI services without appropriate safeguards.

• Respect copyright laws and ensure AI-generated materials do not unintentionally infringe intellectual property rights. If in doubt, consult your supervisor and SFU’s copyright for students guidelines. 

Accessibility and Responsibility

• Critically evaluate AI-generated content to identify and address potential biases, stereotypes, or discriminatory information, particularly regarding marginalized or people in vulnerable situations or culturally sensitive topics.

• Respect Indigenous data sovereignty; obtain appropriate authorization and adhere to community protocols when using Indigenous knowledge or data.

• Promptly inform your supervisory committee if required AI tools present accessibility, financial, or technical barriers, to discuss suitable accommodations or alternative solutions.

• Be respectful of your collaborators' personal, or cultural decisions regarding AI use, especially in research.

Critical AI Literacy 

• Strengthen your AI literacy by actively engaging with SFU-provided resources, workshops, and departmental training to better understand AI capabilities, and limitations.

• Critically evaluate AI-generated content, addressing potential inaccuracies, and biases relevant to your research.

• Ensure AI use aligns with your research objectives without bypassing essential methodological skills or educational goals.

• Foster critical thinking by actively critiquing, validating, and improving upon AI-generated information, rather than passively accepting it.

• Reflect thoughtfully on the environmental impacts of AI, choosing tools sparingly and only when they provide clear research benefits to minimize ecological impact, aligning your usage with SFU’s sustainability commitments.