Sydney academic used AI to write SMH opinion piece urging students to avoid using tech to ‘cut corners’
A Sydney academic had an opinion piece removed by the Sydney Morning Herald after it was revealed she used AI to draft an article warning students against using AI to cut corners. The university defended the usage as appropriate, but the newspaper deemed the disclosure insufficient.
Why it matters
It underscores the growing tension and ethical debates surrounding the use of generative AI in academic and journalistic integrity.
A spokesperson for Western Sydney University said Cath Ellis ‘uploaded 40,000 words of her own original materials into a Copilot Large Language Model’ to form the basis of early drafts for her Sydney Morning Herald piece. Photograph: Carly Earl/The Guardian View image in fullscreen A spokesperson for Western Sydney University said Cath Ellis ‘uploaded 40,000 words of her own original materials into a Copilot Large Language Model’ to form the basis of early drafts for her Sydney Morning Herald piece. Photograph: Carly Earl/The Guardian Australian universities Sydney academic used AI to write SMH opinion piece urging students to avoid using tech to ‘cut corners’ Sydney Morning Herald removes piece by Cath Ellis, despite Western Sydney University saying her use of AI was ‘appropriate’
The article presents both the academic's defense and the newspaper's decision to remove the piece, maintaining a balanced reporting style.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in