For students

General principles for TalTech students on the use of generative artificial intelligence

TalTech has established General Principles for the use of generative artificial intelligence. In each course, the permitted use of artificial intelligence (hereafter AI) may differ, and below are some general principles. Always follow the lecturer’s instructions in the extended syllabus, and if there are no guidelines on AI, ask the lecturer beforehand whether and how AI use is allowed.

Artificial intelligence and academic integrity

1. Your work must be your own
   Every assignment you submit must be written by you and based on your own ideas. You are responsible for its content.
   Writing is part of learning – it helps you develop critical thinking and personal understanding. If someone (or something) does the work for you, you miss out on that development.
2. How can AI support you?
   Artificial intelligence can help with planning, organising ideas, or editing texts.
   For example, you may ask: “Help me structure an argument,” “Suggest sample sentences,” or “How can I argue more effectively?”
3. What should you keep in mind?
   Read the extended syllabus for course-specific guidelines. Lecturers may allow or prohibit AI use for particular assignments and graded activities. If you’re not sure, always ask.
   If AI use is prohibited, you must follow that rule – it’s not just regulation, it supports your learning.
4. Be honest
   If you used AI for support, indicate it in your work – for example, in the methodology section (“I used AI to structure ideas”).
   Do not present AI-generated text as your own. That is academic misconduct, even if the text seems “only slightly” modified.
5. Good habit: start by yourself
   Write your own draft first – this helps clarify your thoughts.
   Use AI only later, for improving the work if needed: for example, to strengthen arguments or add perspectives.

Use of AI

What AI can do and how it can support you:

• Helps to understand the topic – explains complex concepts and answers questions in simple language.
• Provides personal support – adapts responses to your level and needs.
• Supports brainstorming – offers new ideas, perspectives, and creative approaches.
• Analyses data – helps interpret datasets and draw conclusions.
• Creates new content – produces texts, images, scenarios, and visuals.
• Gives critical feedback – helps identify the strengths and weaknesses of ideas.
• Adapts learning materials – adjusts content to suit learners of different levels.
• Edits texts – improves language use, clarity, and logic.

What to be cautious about when using AI:

• Always check the results. AI output may seem reliable, but it can contain errors, inaccuracies, “hallucinations,” or fabricated sources.
• AI may be biased. Answers can reflect stereotypes or prejudices present in the data.
• Excessive reliance on AI can hinder development. Learning requires active thinking – AI should not replace the acquisition of your analytical and creative skills.
• Do not enter personal data, sensitive information, or copyright-protected content. Such content may go beyond your control and violate data protection as well as intellectual property requirements.

Awareness and skills

Introductory course for students on the use of artificial intelligence

To better understand artificial intelligence, be sure to take the introductory course for students:

Tools

At the university, students can use the web version of Microsoft Copilot with their UNI-ID account. When using Microsoft Copilot with a UNI-ID account, all entered data is protected and kept in a secure and isolated environment. This ensures that user data is not used for model training, does not leave the organisation, and is not visible to other users. The service complies with the data protection and confidentiality requirements applicable to educational institutions and public sector organisations.

Below are examples of other tools that can be used in different fields. These solutions are not centrally managed by the university (except Microsoft Copilot), and their use is subject to the service provider’s terms and conditions on an individual basis.

Privacy and security

Note! All generative AI tools display some degree of national bias, as they are based on content and sources created in certain countries. However, Deepseek AI stands out for its deliberate bias – certain topics are restricted in line with government policy, making this tool potentially unreliable as a source of information. For example, the Australian government has raised concerns about Deepseek’s privacy policy – the platform collects users’ personal data (e.g. phone number, date of birth, IP address) and stores it on servers in China. Other AI tools may also collect personal data, which is why you should always pay close attention to the information you share in conversations.

Environmental impact

The development of AI models and the processing of queries require a great deal of energy. Every time a query is made, electricity is consumed in servers, and additional energy is used to store and archive copies of queries (computationally, one query is estimated to cost about a litre of clean water). Consider when your use of AI is justified and when it is not.