# Course AI Ethics & Use Policy 


:::{admonition} Motto: Do not give up learning
:class: hint
You may use AI to accelerate understanding and craftsmanship, **not** to outsource the learning itself.
:::

## 1) Purpose & Scope
This guide sets expectations for using AI tools (e.g., code assistants, chatbots, copilots) in this course. It applies to all homework, projects, in-class activities, and communications related to course work.

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## 2) Core Principles
1. **Learn First:** Try to understand before automating. If you cannot explain or reproduce the work, you haven’t learned it.  
2. **Responsibility:** You (not the AI) are accountable for correctness, style, performance, and ethics of your submissions.  
3. **Transparency & Integrity:** Always disclose your AI use (tools, prompts, and how you verified results). Do not misrepresent AI-generated work as solely your own;
4. **Verification:** Treat AI output as *hypotheses* — test, inspect, and cite sources where relevant.  
5. **Privacy & Safety:** Never share secrets, credentials, personal data, or proprietary data with AI tools.   
6. **Licensing & Attribution:** Respect IP and licenses for any external code, assets, or text. Cite external sources when applicable.

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## 3) What’s Allowed (with conditions)

**🟢 Green — Allowed & Encouraged (with transparency):**
- Brainstorming ideas, clarifying requirements, and outlining solution approaches.
- Generating or refining **tests** (unit/property), edge-case suggestions, and test data.
- Debugging assistance: explaining error messages, proposing minimal fixes you then review.
- Refactoring for readability/performance; adding comments/docstrings and example usage.
- Translating your own text or improving grammar/format in reports/README.

**🟡 Yellow — Allowed only if you verify and understand it (with disclosure):**
- Drafting **small code snippets** or boilerplate that you fully review, test, and can explain.
- Summarising documentation/APIs *you also read*, to speed up navigation.
- Producing diagrams, pseudocode, or step-by-step plans that you execute and validate.

**🔴 Red — Prohibited:**
- Submitting AI-generated code/content that you cannot explain *line by line* on request.
- Using AI to complete an entire assignment end-to-end with minimal human input.
- Feeding private data, credentials, or any non-public project information into AI tools.
- Lifting code/text from the internet or AI without checking license and giving attribution.
- Circumventing assignment constraints (e.g., forbidden libraries/techniques) via AI.

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## 4) Documentation & Disclosure Requirements

IoT Challenge submissions that used AI **must include** an **AI-Use Statement** in the README (or report) and maintain a short **Prompt Journal**.

**AI-Use Statement (template):**

```markdown
- Tools: <tool name(s) and model if known>, used on .
- Scope: (e.g., brainstormed edge cases; generated initial tests; suggested refactor for function X.)
- Verification method: (manual tests passed, manual review steps, external sources consulted.)
- Attribution: (links to any external code/snippets with license notes, if applicable.)
- Reflection: (what I learned; what I changed vs. the AI’s suggestion.)
```

**Prompt Journal (minimum):**
- Paste your top 1–3 prompts (or paraphrases) and a 1–2 sentence note of what changed.
- Keep sensitive data out. If a prompt contains project-specific details, paraphrase.

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## 5) Verification Checklist (pre-submission)

- [ ] I can explain all submitted code and choices in plain language.  
- [ ] Tests: all pass locally; I added at least one **self-authored** test per milestone.  
- [ ] I reviewed complexity, edge cases, and failure modes; I can justify trade-offs.  
- [ ] AI-Use Statement and Prompt Journal are included.  
- [ ] No secrets/PII were shared with any AI tool.  
- [ ] Licensing/attribution for any external snippet is correct.

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## 6) Collaboration & Authorship
- You may discuss concepts with classmates, but **final code and report must be your own** unless the task explicitly allows group work.
- In group tasks, document each member’s contribution and any AI assistance used by that member.
- You may be invited to a short **oral check** to discuss your submission.
- You may be asked to explain aspects or your code or defend your design choices during the review process.

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## 7) Data Privacy & Security
- Do **not** paste secrets (API keys, passwords), personal data, or proprietary datasets into AI systems.
- Prefer local/offline or institution-approved tools for sensitive workflows.
- Use synthetic or redacted examples when seeking help.

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## 8) Intellectual Property & Licensing
- Treat AI output like any third-party source: you must verify originality and licensing.
- If you adopt external code/ideas, cite source and license; keep usage within license terms.

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## 9) Evaluation & Consequences
- Class assignments submissions may be checked via tests, code review, and tooling.
- Additionally, the IOT Challenge may include an oral check to verify understanding.
- **If you cannot explain your code**, we reserve the right to: reduce/void assignment grading, require resubmission, or initiate academic-integrity procedures per university policy.

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## 10) Examples

**Good use:**
- Ask an LLM to propose edge cases, generate initial pytest cases; you implement code; you add one more test you designed; AI-Use Statement explains how you verified logic.

**Borderline but acceptable (with care):**
- Ask for a starter function to parse CSV → you refactor thoroughly, add docstrings, and design extra tests; you can explain decisions and complexity.

**Not acceptable:**
- Paste the entire assignment and submit the first AI answer with minimal edits; cannot explain key lines or fix defects during review.

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## 11) In-Class AI Use
- For class assignments, timed quizzes/exams: AI use is **forbidden** unless explicitly stated.
- AI is allowed for brainstorming, code sketching, and debugging **only when explicitly permitted by the instructor**.  

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## 12) Accessibility & Language Support
- Using AI to improve grammar/clarity in your own writing is encouraged, but text substance must remain yours.  
- If you rely on translation, note this in your AI-Use Statement.

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