The rapid availability of artificial intelligence (AI) has blurred the boundaries between human and machine authorship, challenging traditional concepts of academic integrity. This study examines the ethical implications, challenges, and opportunities of AI adoption in higher education, focusing on the shift from rule-based to value-based approaches. A narrative literature review was conducted alongside an inductive thematic analysis of 34 peer-reviewed sources. Data were retrieved from Web of Science and Scopus databases, covering the period of rapid AI development between 2023 and 2025. The analysis synthesized findings to identify key patterns in ethical challenges and opportunities in higher education. The synthesis indicates a dual reality in higher education. On one hand, the literature highlights significant risks, including plagiarism, academic misconduct, excessive dependence on AI tools, a decline in critical thinking, and the undermining of trust between students and faculty. On the other, studies report benefits such as improved learning efficiency, support for linguistic expression, and assistance with structuring ideas. However, a lack of precise guidelines and insufficient institutional support creates uncertainty for both students and teachers. Responsible AI implementation requires moving beyond punitive, rule-based compliance toward a value-based environment. The study argues that preserving integrity depends on cultivating students’ ethical agency—helping them understand that ethical behavior supports their own intellectual development. This transition requires systematic cooperation, where institutions actively support faculty in shaping this ethical awareness.

Authors:
Maigi Lepik, Tallinn Health University of Applied Sciences & University of Tartu, Estonia

About the Presenter(s)
Maigi Lepik (PhD student) researches academic ethics in the AI era to help lecturers pass on ethical knowledge to benefit learners. She holds an MA in Andragogy, an Ethics microdegree, and serves on the Ethics Committee.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/maigi-lepik-234827189/

See this presentation on the full schedule – Monday Schedule

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