Studying and learning in the age of AI

Link to "External link opens in a new window:Guidelines for dealing with generative AI in written examinations" and "Assurance of honest scientific work" (german document and login required)

With regard to the use of ChatGPT and the use of output in the form of texts generated with ChatGPT, a number of legal questions arise, for example:

• What rights of use do I have to texts that I have created with ChatGPT?
• Can I consider myself the author if I have written a text with the help of an AI tool?
• Am I - possibly even unknowingly - violating copyright law because the output of the AI could contain copyrighted works?

As is so often the case, these and similar questions cannot always be answered in general terms. However, there are some legal opinions and assessments that can help at this point:

On the right of use of texts written with the help of ChatGPT

OpenAI, the company that operates ChatGPT, grants users all rights to the generated text output in its terms and conditions (Fleischmann, 2023).

On the copyright of texts written with the help of ChatGPT

The "Rechtsgutachten zum Umgang mit KI-Software im Hochschulkontext" (Salden & Leschke, 2023) comes to the conclusion that ChatGPT itself cannot claim copyright and authorship of a text, as ChatGPT is not a natural person. Natural persons, on the other hand, can be authors of a text - even if they have written texts with the help of ChatGPT - provided that they have made a significant contribution to the text. The decisive factor here is that the essential creative decision was still made by the person. In the event of a dispute, this ultimately remains a case-by-case decision. However, even if authorship is recognized, there is an obligation to indicate the use of AI in the case of examination services in the sense of the Declaration of Originality (declaration of sound academic practice) (Hoeren, 2023, p.33)

On possible copyright infringements of texts written with the help of ChatGPT

It is difficult to answer the question of whether I am - possibly unknowingly - infringing copyright when writing texts with the help of text-generating AI. This is because ChatGPT has been trained with a large amount of text, which in turn may contain copyrighted works. Due to the way ChatGPT works (creates a text based on statistical principles and a randomised algorithm word by word), it is very unlikely that texts will be created that are literally identical to existing texts, but it cannot be ruled out.

Data protection

Anonymous use of ChatGPT is not possible (identification via cell phone number) and it can be assumed that, in addition to the usual metadata, all prompts and entries as well as the generated responses are stored unencrypted. The data is stored on American servers and no information is provided about the duration of storage (Thiede, 2023). You should therefore carefully consider what information you "feed" ChatGPT with and, for example, not enter any texts with a blocking notice, internal information or data about people or specific facts. The use of ChatGPT for you as a student must be optional. Students who do not wish to use ChatGPT for the aforementioned reasons must not suffer any disadvantage.

• This easy-to-read overview article explains the most important terms relating to ChatGPT and its application scenarios in an understandable way. 
  Fleischmann, A. (2023). ChatGPT in der Hochschullehre - Wie künstliche Intelligenz uns unterstützen und herausfordern wird. In B. Berendt, A. Fleischmann, G. Salmhofer, N. Schaper, B. Szczyrba, M. Wiemer, & J. Wildt (Eds.), Neues Handbuch Hochschullehre. (pp. 1 – 44). DUZ Verlags- und Medienhaus.
  Available online at https://www.nhhl-bibliothek.de/de/handbuch/gliederung/#/Beitragsdetailansicht/243/3700/ChatGPT-in-der-Hochschullehre---Wie-kuenstliche-Intelligenz-uns-unterstuetzen-und-herausfordern-wird (from the university network or VPN-access required)
• Gimpel, H., Hall, K., Decker, S., Eymann, T., Lämmermann, L., Mädche, A., Röglinger, M., Ruiner, C., Schoch, M., Schoop, M., Urbach, N., Vandirk, S. (2023). Unlocking the Power of Generative AI Models and Systems such as GPT-4 and ChatGPT for Higher Education: A Guide for Students and Lecturers. University of Hohenheim, March 20, 2023.
  Available online at digital.uni-hohenheim.de/fileadmin/einrichtungen/digital/Generative_AI_and_ChatGPT_in_Higher_Education.pdf
• Hoeren, T. (2023). Rechtsgutachten zum Umgang mit KI-Software im Hochschulkontext. In Salden, P., Leschke, J. (Hrsg.), Didaktische und rechtliche Perspektiven auf KI-gestütztes Schreiben in der Hochschulbildung (S. 22-41).Center for Science Didactics. hss-opus.ub.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/opus4/frontdoor/index/index/docId/9734
• Salden, P. & Leschke, J. (2023). Didaktische und rechtliche Perspektiven auf KI-gestütztes Schreiben in der Hochschulbildung.
  Handout of the Center for Science Didactics at the Ruhr University Bochum. Available online at hss-opus.ub.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/opus4/frontdoor/deliver/index/docId/9734/file/2023_03_06_Didaktik_Recht_KI_Hochschulbildung.pdf
• Thiede, D. (2023): ChatGPT und der Datenschutz – eine aktuelle Einschätzung. Artikel, erscheinen am 23.01.2023 bei Unterrichten Digital.
  Available online at unterrichten.digital/2023/01/23/chatgpt-datenschutzunterricht-schule/