Code of ethics for the use of generative artificial intelligence as a tool for managing the quality of education

Abstract

Introduction. The rapid integration of generative artificial intelligence into higher education necessitates a critical reassessment of its impact on education quality, academic integrity, and the value foundations of the academic community. Alongside the technological advantages associated with efficiency, automation, and personalization of learning, the use of AI introduces significant ethical risks, including the erosion of personal responsibility, the weakening of critical thinking, and the emergence of a proxy culture characterized by the delegation of intellectual activity to algorithms. Under these conditions, ethical regulation becomes a key factor in ensuring sustainable development and quality management in higher education institutions. The purpose of the article is to substantiate the role of a university code of ethics for the use of generative artificial intelligence not only as a normative document, but as a managerial instrument for managing education quality and fostering a culture of responsible interaction with AI in the university environment.

Materials and Methods. The study is based on philosophical and ethical analysis and pedagogical approaches to digital transformation in education. The empirical component represents an exploratory diagnostic study conducted at a Russian university. Data were collected through a problem-oriented discussion-based lecture followed by an anonymous survey of students from different academic programs (N = 436). The questionnaire was designed in the form of ethical dilemmas requiring respondents to choose between technologically oriented and ethically oriented approaches to the use of AI in educational and academic activities. Quantitative analysis of response distributions was applied to identify dominant value orientations.

Results. The findings demonstrate that a purely technological approach focused on efficiency and automation is insufficient to address issues of responsibility, authorship, trust, and acceptable boundaries of AI use. The study shows that a university code of ethics functions not only as a regulatory framework but also as an effective managerial tool for enhancing education quality, preventing the formation of proxy culture, and supporting academic integrity. The results reveal a predominance of ethical considerations in students’ assessments of both the risks and opportunities associated with the use of AI in education.

Conclusion. The article concludes that the development of university-specific codes of ethics for the use of generative artificial intelligence should be based on collaboration among university administration, faculty, and students. A code of ethics is positioned as a key resource for building digital trust, responsibility, and moral culture in the context of the digital transformation of higher education.