Not a day goes by, or even an hour in some cases, when the terms “AI writing” or “generative AI” aren’t mentioned—in the media, on social media platforms, in meetings, or even in our personal lives. In fact, many are using the technology to help them create workout plans, plan out their next vacation, and develop a dinner recipe based on what’s currently in their fridge.
While there are so many convenient, time-saving ways to use generative AI since its public debut in November 2022, there are still some misconceptions about the technology, as well as tools like Turnitin’s AI writing detection feature. This includes one pressing question: does Turnitin detect AI writing? In this blog post, we will help address some common myths that some have asked about AI writing in education and Turnitin’s AI writing detection feature.
And while Turnitin recommends reading this blog to dispel common myths about the technology, unfortunately, this blog can’t solve the eternal question, “What should we make for dinner?” In my household, the answer is usually takeout.
Myth: Students aren’t using generative AI much
Fact: Students are using generative AI tools and usage numbers are growing since the launch of ChatGPT 3.5 in November 2022. According to Tyton Partners’s Time for Class 2024: Unlocking Access to Effective Digital Teaching and Learning*, 59 percent of students reported using AI at least once a month, and 4 percent of students reported paying for AI tools to support their coursework, compared to 13 percent of teachers.
Not only that, the same study found half of students surveyed said they would likely keep using generative AI tools even if banned; a 21 percent increase from spring 2023.
This growing trend is evidenced by Turnitin data. Following the review of 280 million student papers since April 2023, over 9.9 million were flagged as containing at least 80 percent AI writing, illustrating the pressing need for transparency in how AI writing is being used in the classroom.
The statistics and data on generative AI usage among students help clarify the question: why does Turnitin detect AI writing? These significant figures highlight the importance of providing our customers with a solution that supports their commitment to upholding academic integrity in the age of AI.
*Turnitin was a partner in providing compensation to conduct Tyton’s Time for Class 2024: Unlocking Access to Effective Digital Teaching & Learning.
Myth: Generative AI tools should never be used in writing assignments
Fact: Students’ learning development is incredibly complex and nuanced, based on numerous factors, including cognitive abilities, grade level, environmental and emotional factors, and technical competency.
As a result, one size does not fit all when it comes to the permissible use of AI writing in the classroom. Educators know their students and developmental goals best. For example, there may be some instances where it’s appropriate for students to use generative AI to help them create an outline; others may assign students to prompt ChatGPT to write a paper and then have the students edit the ChatGPT-written paper to strengthen their grammar, fact-checking, editing, and critical thinking skills; or it may be used to brainstorm.
Ultimately, Turnitin believes the path forward is for educators to provide clear guidance on using generative AI in their assignments, thus encouraging students to be transparent about whether and how they use it. Through open dialogue and experimentation, educators can determine the impact of use on student development and skill acquisition.
Myth: AI writing detection features help “catch” students who use generative AI, and are a detriment to student/educator relationships
Fact: The misconception that AI writing detection is purely punitive overlooks the reality of what Turnitin offers its customers. Many people wonder, “why does Turnitin detect AI writing if not to automatically catch and punish students who may have used generative AI writing tools?” In reality, Turnitin’s AI writing detection feature is simply a tool that gives educators a report with data points, including an AI writing indicator score that highlights text segments that Turnitin’s model predicts may have been written by an AI tool. Separately, it highlights AI-generated text that may have been further modified using an AI paraphrasing tool.
Since the launch of Turnitin’s tool in April 2023, Turnitin has consistently emphasized the importance of trust and communication among educators and students concerning academic integrity. Turnitin supports open dialogue among educators and students about acceptable use, the importance of original thought and policy updates. All values that will translate to students’ future careers as well.
Turnitin also advocates for giving students the benefit of the doubt when initially approaching the issue of false positives in a student paper. Our guidance is, and has always been, that there is no substitute for knowing a student, their writing style, and their educational background. AI detection, like Turnitin’s AI writing detection feature, are resources, not deciders. Educators should always make final determinations based on all of the information available to them.
Turnitin recognizes this is an unprecedented time in education, and incredibly complex and ever-evolving. To further help both students and educators navigate this and strengthen trust and communication, the company’s pedagogical experts continue to publish free resources and guides for anyone to download, Turnitin customer or not.
Myth: Turnitin only focuses on AI writing detection
Fact: For more than 25 years, Turnitin has been committed to developing products that support the entire learning process - not just AI writing detection. The company got its start back in 1998 at the University of California with a peer-review application that helped students receive feedback from their classmates. Now over a quarter of a century later, the company’s portfolio touts a variety of dedicated edtech-specific products that support original thinking, including Feedback Studio add-on, Paper to Digital, ExamSoft, and iThenticate.
Turnitin also understands that academic integrity in the age of AI writing is complex. Educators are looking for data points and insights to help them determine if students understand course materials through submissions that showcase original thought and critical thinking. Students, on the other hand, want a space to incorporate AI writing technology responsibly into their coursework.
As a result, Turnitin has been working on a new feature within Turnitin’s existing workflow that highlights students’ copied and pasted text, total construction time, and draft history.
The goal of this tool is to support every member of the learning community within one single workflow—administrators, educators, and students—not just one group. For students, it will give them comfort in knowing their hard work won’t be judged solely on a score. For educators, it will give them confidence and insight into students’ writing submissions. With this tool, there will be no need for educators to ask students to provide additional reports or drafts from other applications - it will be seamlessly baked into their existing assessment tool that the entire educational community is familiar with.
For the last two years, while the most common query among educators and students alike has been, “Does Turnitin detect AI writing?”, the bigger question revolves around how Turnitin’s tools can be used to showcase original student writing. This dual focus not only reinforces the importance of academic integrity but ensures all parties involved can engage in constructive, transparent dialogue about the role of AI in the learning process.
Turnitin is currently partnering with several customers across the globe on the product and will be available for all customers in the first quarter of 2025.
It may feel like we’ve come a long way since the public launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, however, we are still in the early stages of generative AI. Every member of the educational community has an important role to play. We must continue to ask questions, learn more about the technology, and reflect on what the future relationship should look like between AI and original thought in the classroom to ensure we are developing the next generation of problem solvers to tackle a changing world.