Thousands of students in the UK are caught by copying with chatgpt, Guardian’s investigation reveals about 7,000 proven fraud cases

The misuse of artificial intelligence by university students in the UK is a growing challenge for higher education

Thousands of university students in the UK have been caught abusing chatgt and other artificial intelligence tools in recent years, while cases of traditional plagiarism have marked a significant decline, according to an investigation published by The Guardian.

A study on violations of academic integrity has revealed about 7,000 proven cases of fraud through artificial intelligence during academic years 2023–2024 – which makes up about 5.1 cases for every 1,000 students. This is a marked increase of 1.6 cases per 1,000 students in the previous year (2022–2023).

Figures by May suggest that this rate will increase again, reaching about 7.5 cases confirmed for 1,000 students during this academic year – although experts warn that these cases are just the « tip of the iceberg ».

This phenomenon highlights a new and dynamic challenge for universities, the need to update and adapt evaluation methods in the age of technologies such as chatgt and other IA -generated writing tools.

The decline in traditional plagiarism cases

In 2019–2020, before the spread of artificial generating intelligence, plagiarism was nearly two -thirds of all cases of improper academic behavior. During the pandemic, cases were increased after many exams took place online. However, with the development and spread of IA tools, the nature of fraud has changed.

Confirmed cases of traditional plagiarism have dropped from 19 per 1,000 students to 15.2 in 2023–2024 and are expected to fall further, at about 8.5 per 1,000, according to this year’s preliminary figures.

The Guardian contacted 155 universities through the Freedom of Information Act, seeking data on cases of bad academic behavior, including plagiarism and IA use over the past five years. Of these, 131 universities provided some data – though not all covered each year or any category of bad behavior.

More than 27% of the surveyed universities did not yet register the use of IA as a special category of fraud in 2023–2024, which suggests that the sector is still in the process of adapting to this new challenge.

Challenge in discovering and examining IA’s use
Many cases of fraud can not be revealed at all. A survey of the Institute of Higher Education Policy, developed in February, showed that 88% of students use artificial intelligence to complete assessments. Last year, researchers from the University of Reading managed to submit essays created by IA that passed without being discovered in 94% of cases.

Dr. Peter Scarfe, Associate Professor of Psychology in Reading and co-author of the study, stressed that IA use is a challenge different from traditional plagiarism.

« IA discovery is much harder-you can’t prove for sure that a text is created by IA, unlike plagiarism that can be confirmed with the source. This difficulty being tried, combined with fear of unjust accusations against students, makes it very difficult for universities to interfere, » he said.

According to him, even if they are prohibited by the use of IA, students will continue to use it in secret and find ways to pass without discovering.

Some students said IA use it more as a means of helping to copy.

Harvey*, a student who just completed business management studies, said: « I have used it to structure ideas and suggest references. I think most students use it this way, not to copy literally. »

Even Amelia*, a first -year student in the music business, showed that it was more useful for students with learning difficulties. One of its friends, suffering from dyslexia, uses the IA to organize the main points of the essays and to structure its work.

Technology industry and student target

Large technological companies have begun to target students as a key audience. Google offers free Gemini improvement for students for 15 months, while Openai has offered discounts to students in the US and Canada.

Dr. Thomas Lancaster, a researcher at Imperial College London, said: « When used well, it is very difficult to prove IA misuse. However, I hope students are learning through this process. »

He added: « It is vital to focus on skills that cannot be replaced by artificial intelligence – such as human communication and interaction skills – as well as helping students to engage ethically with technology. »

British Government: Investment and Care in IA’s Integration

A British government spokesman said over 187 million pounds have been invested in national skill development programs and that guidelines for IA use in schools and universities have been published.

« The generating has great potential to transform education and offers numerous development opportunities through our plan for change. However, its integration requires special care. Universities must determine ways to take advantage of advantages, minimizing risks and preparing students for the future market, » the statement said.

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