By Shayne Elizabeth T. Flores

Far Eastern University (FEU) students were encouraged to utilize Artificial Intelligence (AI) with integrity in the academe during an expert forum in line with the annual Academic Integrity Day at the FEUture Center Auditorium last April 22.

The forum included discussions on the implication of AI use on research integrity, spearheaded by University of Santo Tomas Research Center of Culture, Arts, and the Humanities Director Anton Heinrich Rennesland.

Meanwhile, De La Salle University-Manila Philosophy Professor Napoleon Mabaquiao Jr. tackled AI’s ethical aspect with regards to humanity.

Noting students’ overreliance on AI, Rennesland highlighted the lack of human involvement and active engagement in utilizing such tools as “alarming.” 

As a result, he urged students to uphold human integrity by fostering human connections rather than depending on digital tools for learning.

“All of these are simply the potentials of a tool that we need to use properly. This, though, shouldn’t come at the expense of losing ourselves, our identity, our integrity as human beings,” Rennesland said.

On top of using AI for assistance, he emphasized the need for human agents in learning vital human skills to avoid passive learning.

Rennesland also supported the possible usage of AI as aid in automated literature reviews, brainstorming, collaborative research, advanced data analysis and pattern recognition, as well as predictive modelling and forecasting among others.

Moreover, Mabaquiao underlined the importance of applying AI ethics in preserving the essence of humanity, citing the possibility of ‘Strong AI,’ a theoretical form of AI that can equate and surpass human intelligence.

“Providing us with more efficient ways of doing things, the use of AI has its own risks and dangers. AI leads us to reevaluate our own morality and understanding of what it means to be human. AI ethics is challenging but necessary and urgent,” he stated.

This includes taking into account the moral rights, informed consent, and best interests of people or parties involved in our AI usage.

The event concluded with an open forum and roundtable discussion, addressing student queries and insights.

Since June 2024, FEU put into effect its AI guidelines for students, allowing its usage for stylistic enhancements, outline generation, visual guides, and other learning purposes that are non-skill based.

Additionally, students are also required to declare all AI platforms and tools they used at the reference or appendix section of their outputs using the AI Declaration Form.

Academic Integrity Day is an annual University initiative commonly held in April, aimed at fostering academic trust, fairness, and responsibility within the Tamaraw community.

(Photo by Shayne Elizabeth Flores/FEU Advocate)