Leaving Cert students will be permitted to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools when preparing research projects worth at least 40 per cent of marks across a range of subjects from next year.
However, students will be obliged to quote or reference any use of AI tools or risk losing all marks for their projects.
The development has prompted an angry response from some teachers who say it will undermine the integrity of the Leaving Cert.
However, the head of the Irish Second Level Students’ Union said the move simply recognises that exam candidates may use AI tools such as ChatGPT in the same way as search engines such as Google.
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Under senior cycle reforms, a group of subjects – including biology, chemistry, physics and two new subjects: climate action and sustainable development; and drama, film and theatre studies – are being redeveloped and due to be introduced to schools for fifth-year students starting in September 2025.
In science subjects, for example, students will be expected to produce an “in-practice investigation” involving research and experimentation during fifth year.
This will include an investigative log where students are expected to give an “authentic account” of how their work unfolded.
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In drama, theatre and film studies, students will be asked to develop a short piece of creative work in theatre or film, as well as a report evaluating their work and explaining their creative decisions.
Guidance for completing these projects has been prepared by subject development groups at the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). It says AI tools, like other sources, should be properly referenced.
“Plagiarism is a serious offence and occurs when work other than the student’s own is used without clear acknowledgment of the source of the work. This includes the use of material generated using artificial intelligence (AI) software or AI applications,” it states.
Jack McGinn, president of the Irish Second Level Students’ Union, said the guidelines simply stated that AI tools must be referenced and there was no question that students could generate entire projects entirely using the technology.
“You can’t just copy and paste a project, it doesn’t work like that,” he said.
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“This recognises that AI is a method you can use to research something, but students will need to create and construct their own projects. It can’t create them for you.”
Second-level English teacher Conor Murphy said the development raised serious questions about the integrity of students’ work and equity concerns for students with access to better resources at home.
“Who will be writing these essays? Rather, what will be writing these essays? How can we tell if the student wrote it? Will AI be banned outright? Any chink in the instructions that allow AI will be used as an excuse to use AI, it will be seen as an endorsement of AI,” he wrote, in an open letter to the NCCA.
