Postplagiarism Research Lab Member Iryna Pavlova Discusses AI and Academic Integrity on The Mike Smyth Show

Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape higher education, raising new questions about academic integrity, assessment, and student learning. These issues were the focus of a recent episode of The Mike Smyth Show, where Postplagiarism Research Lab member Iryna Pavlova, a doctoral student specializing in academic integrity and AI, shared her perspectives on the evolving role of AI in education.

Iryna Pavlova, EdD student, Werklund School of Education and member of the Postplagiarism Research lab

During the interview, Pavlova was asked whether students are increasingly using AI to cheat. She explained that reports of AI-related academic misconduct have risen significantly since generative AI (GenAI) tools became widely available in late 2022. However, she cautioned that an increase in reported cases should not automatically be interpreted as an increase in cheating. Greater faculty awareness, expanded use of GenAI detection tools, and increased media attention have all contributed to more cases being identified and reported.

Pavlova also challenged the tendency to describe all GenAI use as cheating. While GenAI tools can certainly be misused to complete work dishonestly, they can also be powerful educational resources when used responsibly and appropriately. Rather than viewing GenAI use as simply acceptable or unacceptable, she suggested thinking of it as a spectrum. At one end, students may use GenAI tools to brainstorm ideas or receive feedback on their work. At the other end, they may outsource substantial portions of their learning to GenAI. As institutions continue to develop policies, the boundaries between appropriate assistance and academic misconduct are still being defined.

Asked whether more students are using GenAI than educators realize, Pavlova responded that GenAI use is likely far more widespread than many assume. The challenge, she noted, is that educational institutions have not adapted as quickly as the technology itself. GenAI tools are readily available to students, while universities and colleges continue to develop policies and practices that reflect this new reality.

The conversation also addressed GenAI detection technologies. Pavlova explained that current detection tools remain unreliable, producing both false positives and false negatives. As a result, relying solely on GenAI detectors creates an ongoing cycle in which detection tools improve while users find new ways to avoid them.

Pavlova identified three priorities for higher education. First, assessments should be redesigned to better evaluate student learning in an GenAI-enabled world. Second, institutions should develop clear and up-to-date policies that explicitly explain when GenAI use is permitted, when it is not, and how students should acknowledge its use. Third, both students and educators need opportunities to build GenAI literacy so they can use these technologies responsibly, ethically, and effectively.

You can listen to the full episode of The Mike Smyth Show to hear Iryna Pavlova’s complete discussion on AI, academic integrity, and the future of higher education.