The use of AI tools (such as ChatGPT, PhoenixAI, Calude, Gemini, and others) is allowed for assignments when used in support of the course learning goals. You are not required to use AI tools, but if you choose to use them for any part of an assignment, you must include a citation or note describing the extent and details of its use. Failure to properly cite AI tools is considered a violation of the University of Chicago’s Academic Honesty and Plagiarism policy, with possible penalties ranging from loss of credit on an assignment up to referral to the Dean of Students. If you are unclear if something is an AI tool or how to cite such use, please check with the instructors.

Do not use AI tools to perform analysis tasks or compile information that you cannot independently verify. Whether AI-generated or not, when you submit an assignment with your name on it, you are responsible for that content..

• Use of AI to seek explanation or gather information about a topic is allowed, but verify what you learn. (Lab instructors are always happy to discuss physics with you!)
• Use of AI to do in-the-moment calculations or to quickly find a literature value or physical constant is allowed, but do not cite an AI tool as your source in any formal submissions. Verify with (and cite) a primary source instead.

If the use of AI circumvents the learning process (for example, by outsourcing the analysis, critical thinking, or judgement required for a task), do not use AI for that task. Citing AI-derived work means you are not committing plagiarism… but if you do no original work, you will be given no points.

• Do not use AI tools to plagiarize; to fabricate, manipulate, or falsify data; or to generate or manipulate images.
• Do not use AI tools to generate a first draft document. The process of writing (especially at the first draft stage) is an extension of the process of thinking. We want you to think in this class, and you miss out on that opportunity by outsourcing your thinking to AI.
• Do not pass work from others through an AI tool in order to “paraphrase” or “summarize” the text for use in your submission. As discussed on the plagiarism and academic honesty page, close paraphrase is plagiarism!

This policy is not an exhaustive list of dos and don'ts. If you are ever unsure whether your AI use is appropriate or not, please speak with the instructors.

As an example of how AI use is being handled in the professional physics world, here are the current American Physical Society guidelines for journal article submission and review: https://journals.aps.org/authors/ai-based-writing-tools.