TL;DR

Most major universities now have official AI policies — and they vary wildly from school to school
The trend is moving toward "permitted with conditions" rather than outright bans
Individual professors often have their own rules that override school-wide policies
Your best move: check your school's policy, read every syllabus, and ask when you're unsure

You'd think there would be a simple answer to "Can I use AI for my assignments?" But nope. The answer depends on where you go to school, what class you're in, which professor you have, and sometimes which assignment you're working on.

It's messy. But it matters — because academic integrity violations can seriously derail your academic career. Let's look at where things actually stand.

How Major Universities Are Handling AI

The Permissive Approach

Some schools have embraced AI as a learning tool and created frameworks for responsible use.

Arizona State University has been one of the most progressive. They've partnered with OpenAI to provide students and faculty with access to AI tools and have developed coursework that explicitly incorporates AI use. Their position: AI is a tool that students should learn to use effectively.

Georgia Tech encourages AI use in many STEM courses, particularly computer science. Their guideline: AI-assisted work is fine as long as students understand and can explain everything they submit.

University of Michigan has a tiered system where individual departments and professors set their own AI policies within a broad framework that leans permissive. They focus on AI literacy as a core competency.

The Middle Ground

Most universities land here — they permit AI with significant conditions and guardrails.

Harvard has taken the position that AI tools are here to stay and has issued faculty guidelines that lean toward integration rather than prohibition. However, they emphasize that individual instructors have the final say on AI use in their courses. The key Harvard guideline: students must disclose AI use and demonstrate that they've learned the material.

MIT allows and even encourages AI use in many courses, but with strict documentation requirements. Some courses require students to submit "AI use statements" describing exactly how AI was used in each assignment. The focus is on transparency.

Stanford has created detailed AI use guidelines that distinguish between different levels of AI assistance:

Level 1: AI for brainstorming and idea generation (usually permitted)
Level 2: AI for drafting and revising (permitted in some courses)
Level 3: AI for generating substantial content (rarely permitted)
Level 4: AI for completing entire assignments (never permitted)

Columbia University has guidelines that allow AI for research assistance and writing improvement but prohibit using AI to generate text that's submitted as student work. They require AI use disclosure on all assignments.

The Restrictive Approach

Some institutions have been more cautious, particularly for certain programs.

Sciences Po (Paris) was one of the first major institutions to ban ChatGPT entirely, though they've since softened their stance to allow limited AI use with disclosure.

Some medical and law schools maintain strict restrictions on AI use, reasoning that practitioners in these fields need to develop skills without AI assistance to function in high-stakes, low-tech environments (like courtrooms and operating rooms).

Many community colleges and smaller institutions are still developing formal policies, which means individual professors are making rules on the fly — creating inconsistency that's confusing for students.

The Common Elements Across Policies

Despite the variation, most AI policies share a few common themes:

1. Transparency Is Required

Almost every school that permits AI requires disclosure. This can look like:

An "AI use statement" appended to assignments
A checkbox on submission forms
An explanation in the methods section of research papers
A cover page describing AI tools used and how

The specifics vary, but the principle is consistent: if you used AI, say so.

2. Understanding Is Non-Negotiable

Even permissive schools insist that students must understand everything they submit. If a professor asks you to explain your work and you can't, AI use becomes an integrity issue regardless of the school's policy.

This means using AI to learn concepts is almost always fine. Using AI to produce work you don't understand is almost always not fine.

3. Professor Autonomy Rules

At most universities, the school-wide AI policy is a floor, not a ceiling. Individual professors can set stricter (or sometimes more permissive) rules for their own courses. This means:

Your school might allow AI, but your specific professor might not
The syllabus is the binding document, not the university website
Different sections of the same course might have different AI rules depending on the instructor

Always check the syllabus first, then the university policy. If there's a conflict, the syllabus usually takes precedence for that specific course.

4. Citation Expectations Are Emerging

A growing number of schools are requiring students to cite AI tools the way they cite other sources:

APA format for AI:

OpenAI. (2026). ChatGPT (February 2026 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com

MLA format for AI:

"Description of what was generated." ChatGPT, version, OpenAI, date, chat.openai.com.

Check if your school requires AI citations. If they do, the APA and MLA citation guides can help with the format.

How to Find Your School's AI Policy

Here's a practical guide to figuring out what's allowed at your institution:

Step 1: Check the official website Search "[your school name] AI policy" or check the academic integrity section of the student handbook. Many schools have published AI use guidelines since 2024.

Step 2: Read every syllabus carefully Look for sections labeled "AI policy," "academic integrity," "technology use," or "ChatGPT policy." It might also be in the general "course policies" section.

Step 3: Ask your professor If the syllabus is unclear, email or visit office hours. A quick "What's your policy on using AI tools for homework assistance?" is perfectly reasonable. Most professors appreciate students asking proactively.

Step 4: Check with your academic advisor If you're still unclear, your academic advisor can point you to the right resources and may know about policies that aren't well-publicized.

Step 5: When in doubt, don't Seriously. If you can't figure out whether AI is allowed for a specific assignment, play it safe. The consequences of an incorrect assumption are much worse than the time saved by using AI.

The Real-World Impact: What Happens If You Violate the Policy

Academic integrity violations related to AI typically follow the same process as traditional plagiarism:

First offense (at most schools):

Meeting with the professor and/or academic integrity board
Zero on the assignment
Formal warning on your academic record
Required academic integrity workshop

Second offense:

Course failure
Formal probation
Possible suspension
Permanent mark on your transcript

Severe cases:

Expulsion
Degree revocation (in extreme post-graduation cases)

These consequences are real. Students get expelled for this. Don't assume you won't get caught — AI detection, professor intuition, and peer reporting are all active.

What Smart Students Are Doing

The students who are handling this well share some common practices:

They Know the Rules Before Breaking Them... Er, Following Them

They've read their school's policy, every syllabus, and they've had conversations with professors. No assumptions.

They Document Everything

They keep records of how they use AI:

What tools they used
What questions they asked
What they did with the AI output (did they use it as inspiration? Fact-check it? Learn from it?)

If ever questioned, they can demonstrate exactly how AI contributed to their work.

They Use AI for Learning, Not Producing

They use tools like Gradily to understand concepts and prepare for assignments. They don't use AI to generate the work itself.

They Communicate Proactively

They ask professors before using AI, not after. A quick "Hey, would it be okay if I used AI to brainstorm thesis ideas for this paper?" sets clear expectations and builds trust.

They Stay Updated

AI policies change rapidly. What was allowed last semester might not be allowed this semester. Smart students recheck policies at the start of each term.

Where Things Are Heading

The trend is clear: most universities are moving toward structured AI integration rather than prohibition. Within the next few years, expect to see:

AI literacy courses becoming part of general education requirements
Standardized AI use frameworks across departments
AI-specific citation standards from APA, MLA, and Chicago style guides (already in progress)
Assessment redesign that makes AI cheating less relevant (more oral exams, portfolios, and process-based grading)
Institutional AI tool partnerships (several schools already have campus-wide ChatGPT or similar licenses)

The schools that figure this out first will produce graduates who are better prepared for AI-integrated workplaces. The ones that lag behind will be training students for a world that no longer exists.

Your Action Plan

Here's what to do right now:

Look up your school's AI policy today — Bookmark it
Re-read your current syllabi for AI-specific rules
Email any professor whose AI policy is unclear — Better to ask now than guess wrong
Start using AI for learning (not producing) — Tools like Gradily, AI flashcard generators, and concept explainers are almost universally acceptable
Keep a log of your AI use for each course — If you're ever questioned, this protects you
Share what you learn — If you find your school's policy, tell your classmates. Many of them haven't checked either.

The AI policy landscape is shifting fast. The students who stay informed and stay ethical will come out ahead. Don't be the cautionary tale at your school's next academic integrity hearing.

Be the student who figured out how to use AI the right way.

Editorial Standards

What Colleges Say About Using AI for Assignments