The Influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Academic Integrity in Higher Education

Artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly changes how educators and institutions view academic integrity. Tools like ChatGPT are raising concerns about plagiarism and ethical misuse. While some view these tools as helpful, others are concerned about academic dishonesty or overreliance. The difficulty in detecting AI-generated work makes enforcing ethical rules more challenging. Moreover, university policies vary across institutions, leading to inconsistencies in enforcement. This study used a narrative review following the SANRA scale to assess 24 scholarly articles for key themes regarding the use of AI in higher education. The results show that many students use tools like ChatGPT without understanding the ethical issues involved. Furthermore, faculty struggle to verify student-authored content as AI detection tools lack accuracy in differentiating between human and AI-generated content. University policies regarding AI usage are inconsistent, with some attempting to integrate AI ethically while others ban it outright. While AI tools have clear benefits, the challenges with their use highlight the need for stronger policies, AI literacy programs, better detection tools, and faculty training in the ethical integration of such technology. AI should support student-centered learning rather than replace critical thinking, and for that, universities must update their academic integrity policies to include the ethical use of AI.