by Xinhua writer Wang Aihua

A college student surnamed Cai, who is on the cusp of pursuing his master's degree at Wuhan University in central China, candidly admitted to having utilized artificial intelligence (AI) while writing his undergraduate thesis.

"AI is extensively utilized by students like myself, particularly in thesis writing and other academic compositions, primarily to enhance efficiency and save time," Cai explained.

The proliferation of large AI models, such as DeepSeek and ChatGPT, has provided university students with convenient tools for polishing and optimizing academic papers. With the help of these AI tools, students can quickly produce seemingly well-crafted assignments in a matter of minutes.

A 2024 study, initiated by MyCOS -- a company specializing in higher education management data and consulting -- revealed that nearly 30 percent of college students in China use generative AI for writing papers or assignments.

However, education experts are concerned that AI assistance has introduced a noticeable "AI flavor" not only to academic papers but also to other college assignments, posing an increasingly prominent challenge in preventing academic misconduct.

According to an English professor from a Shanghai university surnamed Liu, she has noticed obvious traces of AI-generated content in her students' graduation theses. "I can discern that some content was translated by AI. They lacked coherence and smoothness," Liu told Xinhua.

The surge in AI usage among students has prompted universities across China to enforce stricter regulations. Fudan University in Shanghai, for instance, issued guidelines prohibiting the direct use of AI for generating primary content, acknowledgments, or other thesis components. Similar advisories were issued by several other institutions.

Liang Zheng, director of the AI research center at Tsinghua University in Beijing, emphasized the importance of delineating the boundary between AI assistance and AI writing.

"AI can organize research literature, provide writing ideas, and replace humans in completing low-difficulty, repetitive tasks," Liang stated. "However, it cannot be used to generate entire papers, as it would constitute academic misconduct."

Universities nationwide are assessing the percentage of AI-generated content in graduation projects, while numerous academic journals have outlined specific AI usage guidelines during submission.

Kong Lintao, an academic affairs supervisor at Tianjin University of Science and Technology, noted that in addition to routine plagiarism checks for graduation projects, the university has introduced AI-generated content detection measures to curb students' over-reliance on such tools.

The university has set a 30 percent threshold for plagiarism and a 40 percent cap for AI-generated content. Students whose work exceeds these limits will receive formal warnings.

"These parameters reflect our welcoming attitude toward the AI era," Kong said. "Our restrictions are fundamentally aimed at guiding students back to their own path."

Ran Naiyan, a researcher at the Beijing Academy of Educational Sciences, has proposed a more flexible approach. He said that it is crucial to carefully assess an author's creativity throughout the thesis evaluation process.

Ran suggested that universities add an expert interview session where experts pose thesis-based questions and discuss them with the author to ascertain the extent of AI usage in their thesis.

While China's law on academic degrees does not explicitly categorize AI writing as academic misconduct, experts believe that having AI write a complete paper violates the fundamental spirit of academia, as it does not reflect the author's creativity and contribution.

Zhao Jingwu, a law professor at Beihang University, warned that having AI compose a full paper is akin to traditional ghostwriting practices, thereby compromising academic integrity and posing potential risks of information leaks.

Experts have also highlighted the crucial role of teacher guidance in this evolving technological landscape. They argue that universities should prioritize educating students on the responsible use of AI, emphasizing its limitations and underscoring the importance of critical thinking.

"Mentors should engage more with students and provide guidance at various research stages of their papers, rather than merely asking a few questions upon submission," said a university teacher surnamed Wei.

Wei emphasized that teachers should make students understand that scientific research is a marathon, and they cannot solely rely on AI for quick fixes. "Reading historical materials, conducting field research, collecting data, and performing experiments are tasks that humans should and need to undertake."