Nearly 7,000 university students in the UK were caught cheating using ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence tools during the 2023-24 academic year, according to data obtained by The Guardian. As part of the investigation, the British newspaper contacted 155 universities under the Freedom of Information Act. Of those, 131 institutions responded.
The latest figures show 5.1 confirmed cases of AI-related cheating for every 1,000 students, a rise from 1.6 per 1,000 the previous year. Early projections for the current academic cycle suggest the number could climb even higher to 7.5 per 1,000 students.
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The growing reliance on AI tools like ChatGPT is proving to be a major challenge for higher education institutions. At the same time, cases of traditional plagiarism have dropped. From 19 per 1,000 students in 2019-20 to 15.2 last year, the number has gone down and is expected to fall further to 8.5 per 1,000.
Experts warn that the recorded cases may be only scratching the surface. "I would imagine those caught represent the tip of the iceberg," said Dr Peter Scarfe, associate professor of psychology at the University of Reading. "AI detection is very unlike plagiarism, where you can confirm the copied text. As a result, in a situation where you suspect the use of AI, it is near impossible to prove, regardless of the percentage AI that your AI detector says (if you use one). This is coupled with not wanting to falsely accuse students."
Evidence suggests AI misuse is far more widespread than reported. A February survey by the Higher Education Policy Institute found that 88 per cent of students admitted to using AI for assessments. Researchers at the University of Reading tested their own systems last year and found AI-generated submissions went undetected 94 per cent of the time.
Online platforms are making it easier. The report found dozens of videos on TikTok promoting AI paraphrasing and essay-writing tools that help students bypass standard university detectors by "humanising" ChatGPT-generated content.
Dr Thomas Lancaster, an academic integrity researcher at Imperial College London, said, "When used well and by a student who knows how to edit the output, AI misuse is very hard to prove. My hope is that students are still learning through this process."
Science and technology secretary Peter Kyle told The Guardian that AI should be used to "level up" opportunities for dyslexic children.
Tech giants are already targeting students as key users. Google offers university students a free 15-month upgrade to its Gemini AI tool, while OpenAI provides discounted access to students in the US and Canada.
