Using AI to support learning

ChatGPT, Google Gemini, DeepL and other familiar artificial intelligence (AI) applications available online are based on large language models. More recently, language models have evolved to the point where they can produce human-like text and conversations.

They can also correct and transform text at such a high level that it can be difficult to distinguish the final result from human-generated text. In the future, more such models are sure to emerge and their functionalities will continue to evolve. It is therefore important that we take their existence into account in teaching and research.

The University encourages degree programmes and teachers to use AI in their teaching. This way, we can prepare you for a society of the future where AI methods are likely to be widely used as part of professional work.

As AI brings new possibilities for producing text whose origin and reliability is unclear and may contain errors, it’s important to use them in a controlled and deliberate way. The teacher can restrict the use of AI in situations where using it would not promote your learning.

If you are unsure of whether you can use AI to support completing a task, you can always ask the teacher before you get to work.

1. As a rule, AI use is permitted in teaching and in support of learning. AI use must support the achievement of course learning outcomes and be pedagogically justified. Course coordinators decide on AI use in their courses and instruct students at the beginning of each course on using AI and disclosing such use. 
2. AI use must be legal, ethical and justified in terms of sustainability. This means you need to comply with laws and regulations pertaining to, among other things, information security, data protection, copyright and accessibility. Sustainability encompasses ecological, economic, social and cultural sustainability. Discuss these matters with the course teacher if needed.
3. You, as the author are always responsible for the validity of the language and content of your output. In written work, you must disclose your use or non-use of AI in accordance with separate instructions, even when not specifically instructed to do so in individual courses. 
4. In maturity tests, the use of AI is forbidden. 
5. Faculty councils, degree programme steering groups and the Language Centre may draw up supplementary guidelines on AI use. The Doctoral School may provide supplementary guidelines pertaining to doctoral theses and doctoral education. 
6. You can not be required to use AI services other than those provided by the University of Helsinki.
7. For reasons including copyright and privacy, teachers, or you as a peer reviewer are permitted to input assignments completed by students or require students to input such assignments themselves only to AI systems specifically determined by the University of Helsinki. Assessment must not be entirely outsourced to AI.

These guidelines supplement the University’s general principles for using and developing artificial intelligence (Flamma).

In addition, the University has published separate guidelines for using generative AI in research (helsinki.fi). 

The rector’s decision on handling cheating and plagiarism among students (HY/9848/00.00.06.00/2023, 31 March 2026) provides for the fraudulent use of artificial intelligence. According to the decision, presenting text or solutions generated by AI as one’s own or another person’s work, or using AI to complete a task in breach of the guidelines on AI use, is considered plagiarism and may lead to disciplinary measures. 

The University of Helsinki offers two services based on generative AI, CurreChat developed at our university and Micorosoft's Copilot with commercial data protection. For more information on the differences between the services and on security, see the IT HelpDesk guide Generative AI at the University.

The Helsinki University Library offers AI tools for learning and research. 

In accordance with the guidelines set out by the Academic Affairs Council, teachers instruct students on the use of generative AI and disclosing such use. In courses where AI use is permitted without specific disclosure instructions from the teacher, the following general disclosure guidelines must be observed in written works whose length is one page (roughly 2,500 characters) or more.  

In this context, AI use refers to the deliberate use of generative AI applications, not, for example, to unsolicited AI-generated summaries in Google search results or automated editing suggestions by Word and other word processing applications. 

AI use need not be separately disclosed for assignments designed to be completed with the help of AI, such as CurreChat, unless otherwise instructed by the teacher. However, if students deviate from the teacher’s instructions, AI use must be disclosed. 

Teachers are free to provide instructions that deviate from these general guidelines, for example, to disregard disclosure altogether or in certain assignments. Teachers may request disclosure of AI use also for other assignments than written ones exceeding one page in length. They can also ask to apply these guidelines, for example, in connection with software code or oral presentations. Teachers should consider the increase in workload that AI use disclosure entails for to students. 

Students must sufficiently report on their AI use to enable the reliable assessment of their completed studies and assignments. However, such disclosure must be appropriate in scope to the text in question. 

Students must keep a record of their AI use in assignments to be able to reliably report on it. In seminar reports and other particularly demanding assignments, reliable disclosure requires students to keep a journal on their AI use. Such journals need not be submitted alongside the completed assignments, unless otherwise instructed by the teacher. 

Students must always verify the answers generated by AI, as AI may provide false or inaccurate answers and instructions. Students are always responsible for the work they submit.   

In disclosing AI use, students must indicate the following (general reporting guidelines): 

That they have not used AI applications, otherwise teachers will not know whether reporting on AI use has merely been omitted. Example: “I have not used generative AI applications to complete this assignment.” 

AI use, where the results obtained have not been used, must be disclosed as instructed below. 

Report AI use as follows: 

1. Scope: Which parts of the text was AI used for? Unless otherwise stated, the information provided is assumed to apply to the entire text.  
2. Purpose: What was AI used for (including grammar check or partial translation of source text)? 
3. Model: Which application model and version were used?  
4. Functionality: How did the AI application function (pros and cons)? How did the student verify the answers produced by AI? The student’s independent contribution should be clarified here so that the teacher understands the scope of AI use and its impact on the student’s completed text or other work. 
5. Learning [only relevant for longer texts, such as theses and seminar reports]: How did AI affect the student’s learning? In particular, what did they learn about AI use?
6. If AI has been used differently for different parts of the text, items 1 to 4 above are repeated as needed. 

Authentic examples of disclosing the generative AI use (.pdf)

The Guidelines for the use of AI in teaching at the University of Helsinki were updated by the Academic Affairs Council on May 28, 2026. Please note that they may be further specified in the light of future regulation and technological developments.