AI White Papers

AI White Paper Series

The AI White Paper series, developed by the AI Coordinating Council, provides research-informed guidance on emerging questions related to artificial intelligence in teaching and learning at Boise State.

Each paper synthesizes current scholarship, identifies practical implications, and offers recommendations for faculty and institutional practice. These papers are intended to support informed decision-making and ongoing conversation as AI technologies continue to evolve.

Note: White papers provide research-informed guidance and recommendations for discussion and institutional practice. They are not university policy and do not authorize uses of AI that conflict with course policies, assignment instructions, academic integrity expectations, or instructor guidance.

AI in Assessment, Grading, and Feedback

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly used in higher education to support grading and assessment to generate draft comments, suggest rubric-aligned scores, and assist with evaluation. Research shows measurable benefits in specific areas, particularly mechanical revision, drafting support, and structured feedback. Evidence supporting AI use in autonomous or summative grading, however, remains limited, with concerns related to reliability, cognitive load, over-reliance, transparency, and data governance.

Read the full white paper: AI in Assessment, Grading, and Feedback: Evidence, Limits, and Recommendations for Institutional Practice

AI Detection Tools in Higher Education

AI detection tools purport to identify whether student writing was produced by generative AI systems. Current research, however, documents substantial limitations, including low reliability across contexts, higher misclassification rates for multilingual and machine-translated writing, vulnerability to circumvention, opacity, and risks to student well-being and due process.

Read the full white paper: AI Detection Tools in Higher Education: Evidence, Risks, and Recommendations for Institutional Practice

Our detection tools knowledge article provides access to Boise State’s position statement along with suggestions for mitigating AI concerns.

Tutoring with Humans and Machines

Since the public release of ChatGPT in 2022, generative AI has introduced new challenges and opportunities for education. Models that generate text (and other media) from natural-language prompts have intensified debates about learning, assessment, and the nature of knowledge and creativity.

Read the full white paper: Tutoring with Humans and Machines: Recommendations for Institutional Policy and Practice.