ChatGPT & Generative AI @ USI

News

• In June 2025, the Recommendations on the use of generative AI in education for USI's faculty and students have been published. These documents expand and replace previous communications of 2023 ("ChatGPT & Generative AI @ USI" and "Artificial intelligence tools and platforms").
• GenAIEdu (Generative AI in Education) is a platform created to help USI teaching staff reflect on the use of generative AI tools and their implications for teaching activities, supporting the practical application of USI's recommendations. 

USI's Strategy

As a general strategy, USI encourages the creative, critical and responsible use of generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) tools by members of its academic community, promoting experimentation, critical thinking and open discussions with and about these tools in teaching, research, knowledge transfer and other areas of USI's activities. 

Recognising that the ability to use AI tools effectively and responsibly is a fundamental skill for operating successfully in the ‘digital society’, USI encourages its teaching staff and student community to learn and master these tools, promoting a critical thinking approach that also considers their limitations.

General rule

As a general rule the use of generative AI tools is thus permitted, unless explicitly prohibited for a specific activity (e.g. exam, assignment, specific tasks, etc.). However, their use must always be correctly acknowledged (“I used it” / “how I used it”).

USI thus invites instructors and thesis advisors to pro-actively discuss the use of generative AI tools with their students and explicitly state what works for them and what not for the various activities (e.g. “for my exam the use of generative AI is not allowed / is allowed”).

Working group

In order to address issues related to the use of generative AI tools and to support decision making, USI’ Rectorate has established a trans-faculty working group. The goal of the group is to:

• Propose and update recommendations on how generative AI can be used creatively
• Provide teaching activities on the use and limits of generative AI tools
• Collect case studies and best practices in various fields and create awareness about AI-related misconduct (e.g.: regarding originality)
• Act as access point for any kind of questions/requests regarding the use of generative AI tools
• Provide advice and policy inputs to USI management

Currently the group is composed of members of the Faculties and the administration and is coordinated by the eLearning lab. To cover the whole USI community, the participation of students is also envisaged.

For any questions regarding the working group, you can contact
[email protected]