Instituto Superior Técnico has created a new Guide for the Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence, released on 28 November, establishing guidelines for students, teaching staff and researchers, with the aim of supporting the informed integration of AI in academic life.
The Guide is the result of a structured reflection process led by Técnico professors on the transformative impact of AI across multiple fields of knowledge. The team sought to identify risks and opportunities associated with its use in the university context, particularly regarding academic integrity, scientific production and the adoption of new teaching and learning methodologies.
The document responds to the growing presence of artificial intelligence (AI) in teaching, research and learning support processes, which has posed new challenges for Higher Education institutions. It also addresses the need to frame the use of these tools, ensure robust academic practices and follow the evolution of European legislation.
Teresa Peña, professor at Técnico and Deputy director to the President for Digital Technologies in Education and one of the authors of the Guide, highlights the importance of critical and conscious use, emphasising that “it is not enough to acknowledge that AI exists”, and that “it is necessary to use it in a more correct and productive way”. According to her, it is the responsibility of educational institutions to promote practices that help “cultivate its use to expand the unique capacities of human beings: critical thinking, creativity and emotional intelligence”.
Arlindo de Oliveira, professor at Técnico and co-author of the Guide, stresses the responsibility involved in adopting these tools, stating that the main challenge lies in “ensuring that AI will not only avoid contributing to the deterioration of the educational process, but also enable better results in research and development activities”. Regarding the future, he adds that artificial intelligence should be seen as “an indispensable tool for the scientific competitiveness of researchers, institutions and nations”.
Considered by the authors to be the first initiative of its kind among Portuguese universities, the Guide brings Técnico closer to practices already adopted by several international institutions. For Carlos Santos Silva, also a professor at Técnico and co-author, the document aims to provide the community with a “clear reference” on the use of these tools. “As a Técnico community, we must understand how to use artificial intelligence without incurring risks. This document was created to help us meet that goal,” he concluded.
