Artificial intelligence is becoming deeply embedded in journalistic workflows, yet new research reveals that students are facing a contradictory and confusing landscape of classroom policies regarding the technology.
A study from the University of Kansas found that journalism programmes across the US are employing varying approaches — ranging from treating AI use as academic dishonesty to encouraging it as a subject of professional inquiry — which authors argue could be shortchanging future reporters.
Researchers analysed 60 journalism course syllabi from 15 universities, discovering significant variation not only between institutions but within the same schools. This “scattershot” approach creates a difficult environment for students trying to navigate the ethical boundaries of their degree programmes.
Classroom philosophies
The study, published in Journalism & Mass Communication Educator, identified three primary themes in how professors frame AI:
- AI as an existential threat: Frequently seen in writing classes, these policies emphasise that AI-generated content lacks the rhetorical judgment and integrity required for journalism.
- Plagiarism risks: Failure to cite AI use in these contexts is often reported as academic dishonesty.
- AI as a bounded tool: Common in design and photography courses, this approach uses AI for specific tasks, such as grammar and spell-checking.
- Verification warnings: These policies explicitly forbid AI from acting as a “writer” and often include warnings about algorithmic bias and hallucinations.
- AI as a subject of inquiry: Ethics and law classes tend to treat the technology as a topic for critical discussion, assigning readings on how AI challenges industry standards.
“At one institution, some classes are adopting it, then another class is not adopting it,” said Samuel Muzhingi, a doctoral student at the University of Kansas and the study’s lead author. “Students are like, ‘OK, so which class or which professor should I listen to more?’”
The inconsistency highlights a broader struggle within academia to keep pace with a profession that is still defining its own best practices. While writing instructors protect the core skill of independent composition, other faculty members worry that a total ban ignores the reality of the modern newsroom.
“As an instructor, even if I have concerns about the tool, I still see a responsibility to help students to engage with it critically,” Muzhingi noted, adding that employers are increasingly asking for these skills.
The researchers suggest that accrediting bodies, such as the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, should provide more robust guidance to help schools craft uniform policies. Alyssa Appelman, associate professor of journalism at KU and co-author, emphasised that instructors must be explicit about expectations at the start of every assignment.
“Professors can’t assume that students are coming in knowing where the boundaries are,” Appelman said. “These findings suggest that semester to semester, or even class to class, students are getting different advice.”
