If you decide to use generative AI, you should always follow proper academic conduct (learn more on ITU Student). Not following proper academic conduct might be considered fraud and result in disciplinary measures.
Be critical
You should always practice caution when using generative AI. The output from generative AI is often false, as it often merely predicts likely word pairings. It might also display the inherent biases of the data used to train the AI. Therefore, you should always fact check the output of the model and use your own knowledge and intuition to correct it.
Furthermore, you should keep your own learning in mind when using generative AI. Multiple studies show that uncritical use of generative AI diminishes the learning outcome for students. Remember, you are responsible for your own learning and relying too much on generative AI might ultimately make your studies harder, if you miss out on key learning, essential concepts, or fundamental skills from your courses.
Full transparency
Claiming ownership of ideas or statements that are not your own is considered plagiarism. This is also true for ideas or statements generated by AI. Therefore, you should always clearly state which parts of your assignment have been generated by AI. You do this the same way you would credit any other source:
- State which generative AI-technology has been used.
- Describe explicitly how generative AI-technology has been used.
- State which commands/questions/prompts have entered the generative AI technology that have given answers incorporated in the text/project/thesis.
- Elaborate on how these answers have been used in the text/project/thesis.
The way you reference the AI follows what reference style you are working with. There are several ways to acknowledge the use of generative AI. Below, we will give you a few examples of how you do it.
Declaration
You should always clearly describe your methodological approach to generative AI. You do this by providing a precise summary somewhere in your project/report etc.
“During the initial brainstorming phase of this study, we utilized Microsoft Copilot (copilot.itu.dk) to generate potential research questions and hypotheses.
The AI provided a range of ideas based on our keywords and research objectives, which we then evaluated and refined to align with our own ideas and goals.”
“To ensure the clarity and grammatical accuracy of this paper, I used Grammarly (https://www.grammarly.com/). This tool was employed to review the paper for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors, as well as to suggest improvements in sentence structure and word choice.
The final text was then carefully reviewed to ensure it met academic standards.”
“For the analysis of survey data, we utilized Copilot in Microsoft Excel to perform statistical analysis and generate visualizations.
The tool was used to identify trends and correlations within the data, which were then interpreted and discussed in a later section of this paper."
“In conducting the literature review for this project, we used Scite (https://scite.ai/) to assist in identifying and summarizing relevant research articles.
The AI tool was used to search academic databases and generate concise summaries of key findings, which were then reviewed and incorporated into the literature review section.”
Quoting and paraphrasing
You will also have to reference generative AI any time the output has been directly integrated into your own paper. You do this by either quoting or paraphrasing the AI following the reference standard of your choice.
“I asked Copilot Chat to find correlations in my research data. Copilot told me that there seemed to be a direct correlation between the frequency of software updates and the overall system performance in IT infrastructure (Microsoft, 2025).”
In the literature list:
“Microsoft (February, 2025) Copilot Chat [Large language model] http://chat.openai.com/chat”
“Software updates play a crucial role in maintaining and enhancing the overall performance of IT infrastructure. By keeping software up-to-date, organizations can maintain a robust, secure, and efficient IT infrastructure that supports their business objectives effectively” (Microsoft 2025)
In the literature list:
Microsoft. 2025. “Microsoft Copilot Chat”. copilot.itu.dk
Some reference styles provide guides for referencing generative AI, i.e. this APA guide or this Chicago Style FAQ. If you are unsure of how to reference or declare the use of generative AI, please contact your teacher or supervisor.
Teachers might also ask you to sign a separate declaration on generative AI when handing in your assignment or report.