Written Assignments and the Ethical Considerations of Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education

Abstract

The rapid development of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools has created new opportunities and challenges in higher education. Written assignments, long regarded as central to intellectual development and assessment, are now being redefined by AI-assisted writing technologies. This article examines the epistemological, pedagogical, and ethical dimensions of AI in relation to written assignments, clarifying how AI reshapes academic discourse, assessment practices, and institutional approaches to integrity and fairness. The analysis draws on institutional guidelines, scholarly literature on assessment and second-language writing, theoretical debates on academic discourse, and policy frameworks in multilingual educational contexts. Findings indicate that AI can provide valuable linguistic and structural support in academic writing, particularly for second-language learners, but it also introduces risks related to academic integrity, transparency, bias, misinformation, equity, and linguistic justice. Assessment practices are especially vulnerable, necessitating innovative, process-oriented approaches such as workshops, oral defences, and reflective portfolios. In research contexts, concerns around reproducibility, data protection, and authorship are pressing. The article concludes that higher education institutions must balance innovation with ethical responsibility by embedding AI literacy, mandating disclosure, redesigning assessments to emphasize higher-order skills, and ensuring equitable access. Rather than prohibiting AI, universities should cultivate responsible digital citizenship to harness AI tools while upholding integrity, fairness, and inclusiveness.