Ethics in the time of Artificial Intelligence: Rethinking Integrity in the Classroom

The rapid integration of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT into educational contexts has sparked a paradigmatic shift in how students learn, how educators assess, and how institutions define academic integrity. This paper explores the emerging ethical landscape surrounding AI-assisted student work through a qualitative, literature-based inquiry that synthesizes perspectives from educators, students, ethicists, and institutional policy frameworks. As AI tools increasingly mediate knowledge production, they blur the boundaries between assistance and authorship, raising urgent questions about originality, authenticity, and educational purpose. The study reveals a growing dissonance between technological innovation and traditional academic values: students often perceive AI as a tool for productivity and learning enhancement, while faculty express apprehension about compromised learning outcomes and diminished student accountability. Institutional policies, still largely reactive and fragmented, struggle to keep pace with these developments. Drawing on virtue ethics and principles of responsible innovation, the paper proposes an integrative ethical framework that prioritizes character formation, reflective judgment, and contextual discernment. Additionally, the study advocates for a reimagining of assessment design—moving away from rote demonstration toward deeper engagement, critical inquiry, and meta-cognitive reflection. Rather than merely policing misconduct, academic institutions must cultivate a culture of ethical AI use that equips learners with the moral imagination to navigate emerging technologies in both academic and professional spheres. In doing so, education can reclaim its role not just as a transmitter of knowledge, but as a steward of ethical agency in the digital age.