The school — the latest of many to adopt formal AI policies — notably leaves some decisions on AI use to the discretion of its faculty, saying it expects "that students will encounter a range of approaches to AI across the curriculum."
"Some instructors may choose to incorporate AI tools extensively in their classes, while others may limit or prohibit their use in order to develop particular skills or advance specific learning objectives, particularly in the 1L year," read a statement on the policy, which became effective Aug. 1. "Experiencing this range of approaches is itself an important part of preparing students for the realities of modern legal practice, where they will encounter varied professional norms and technological environments, remaining grounded in the foundation of what it means to think, and act, like a lawyer."
The technology, however, cannot be used to "replace the student's own legal reasoning, serve as an undisclosed ghostwriter, or otherwise replace the student's role in originating the intellectual content of a submission," the statement said.
Students are directed to consult their instructors before using an AI tool in the event of any ambiguity, and bear the responsibility for verifying its outputs. They must also "err on the side of disclosure" when using outputs in their work.
"Regardless of whether AI use is disclosed, under no circumstances may a student submit AI-generated work as their own independent work product when doing so materially misrepresents the extent of their own effort and contributions," the statement added.
Columbia also said that it plans to implement AI training during new student orientation.
The law school is one of many to implement specific rules around the use of this technology, with varying degrees of strictness.
Catholic University's Columbus School of Law, for instance, has implemented more restrictive guardrails in its rules of professional conduct, prohibiting its use in graded work "unless explicitly authorized by the faculty member." The University of California, Berkeley School of Law forbids using AI "for aid in conceptualizing, outlining, drafting, revising, translating or editing any work submitted for credit."
Others have implemented more permissive policies, such as the George Washington University Law School, which says that AI "may be used as a collaborator to augment and enhance, but never replace, your own analysis" for assignments submitted to professors.
--Editing by Robert Rudinger.
For a reprint of this article, please contact reprints@law360.com.
