The University of the Free State will discontinue the use of AI detection software across all faculties from July, citing concerns over reliability and fairness.
Instead, the university is shifting to a culture of integrity: firstâyear students are trained in ethical AI use, assessments incorporate AI critique, and transparency is required when AI is used.
Concern
The decision reflects growing international concern about the role and effectiveness of AI detection technologies, while reinforcing the UFS’s focus on critical thinking, ethical AI literacy, and meaningful student development.
Lecturers are encouraged to model responsible practices, while students must explicitly state how AI assisted their work.
The discontinuation of the use of detection software will come into effect from 1 July 2026.
False sense of security
Senior Director of the Centre for Teaching and Learning at the university, Professor Francois Strydom, explained that detection tools often create a false sense of security and disproportionately penalise secondâlanguage English speakers, who make up 93% of the student body.
Strydom is clear that dishonesty with AI use is treated as academic fraud, with serious consequences, and emphasises that students must never present AIâgenerated output as their own work.
“AI detection tools create a false sense of security, and we are focusing instead on building a culture of integrity that fosters meaningful learning
“If you give output of AI as your own work, that is academic fraud, and there are consequences after that,” Strydom told eNCA.
Move welcomed
Strydom said staff and students have largely welcomed the move, seeing it as a way to reduce anxiety and foster open, transparent learning.
“Ninetyâthree percent of our students are secondâlanguage English speakers, and these tools unfairly penalize them – that is a serious dueâprocess problem.
“Students can use AI, but they must be explicit about how they’ve used it – transparency is nonânegotiable,” Strydom said.
Future-proof
Strydom said the university wants graduates who are futureâproof: able to use AI ethically, critique it, and add value beyond it.”
The University of the Free State is also rolling out a new learning management system with AI tutors that guide learning rather than provide answers, aiming to prepare graduates to use AI ethically and critically.
