A USC student demonstrates having free access to ChatGPT. Photo by Abagael Strating/Carolina Reporter
The University of South Carolina is riding the wave of rising use of Artificial Intelligence, signing a deal in June for students to have access to ChatGPT for $1.5 million.
The deal includes campus-wide access to ChatGPT for all students, faculty and staff.
While offering AI to students may sound conflicting, there are guidelines in place.
“The university has always stressed ChatGPT/AI is a tool that makes things more efficient,” said USC Internal Communications Manager Collyn Taylor. “But students should always follow rules set forth by their professors and the Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity.”
ChatGPT is an online chat box that uses artificial intelligence to generate responses, most of which are pulled from the internet.
“Roughly a third of all honor code cases reported in the 2024-2025 academic year have referenced the use of artificial intelligence,” according to the Academic Integrity Office’s website. “(We) encourage instructors to set clear guidelines on AI use in syllabi. ChatGPT is allowed for brainstorming or grammar checks but must be cited. Do not use AI to generate full answers or essays.”
USC is the first college in the state to offer the technology to its students.
“This is a tool that we provided that is a resource for students to use to study,” said Dr. Diana Sisson, USC director of communications for the Division of Information Technology.
She said as long as students use it as a proper tool, it can be helpful and there should be no infringement on academic integrity.
“Some professors encourage it (ChatGPT), creating questions for tests and also using it as a study guide,” USC junior Alyssa Lassen said. “But many prohibit it for a lot of things, including papers and research.”
Not only are students benefiting but professors, too.
“For the most part faculty are very excited because it provides a new tool for research and different pedagogical uses,” Sisson said.
Some students are hesitant to access the new technology for fear of getting into trouble for looking up certain things such as exam questions or anything that may make them at risk. Sisson said nothing can be pulled up from a student’s ChatGPT account without a subpoena.
Students and faculty do have the option to opt in to or out of ChatGPT use. The funding is for a year, and the university does have the option for renewal.
