Education edition
This week centres on the courtroom: an AI detector was so far off the mark that a student took it to court.
AI detection lawsuit continues: why a detector is not evidence
An essay was flagged as 100 per cent AI-generated, the student challenged it, and a court has let the case proceed.
A student at Adelphi University received an AI score of 100 per cent from the detection tool Turnitin, along with an academic integrity violation on his record. He took the matter to court. On 28 January 2026, a New York court rejected the request to dismiss the case. The proceedings will continue. The case shows the legal risk you take when you accuse a pupil or student based solely on a detection score.
Background for subscribersThe lawsuit at Adelphi University shows what goes wrong when a school bases an accusation solely on a number from a detection tool. That score is not evidence. If you want to act fairly, you need a process: a conversation with the pupil or student, your own substantive judgement, and the opportunity to respond. That applies now, before court cases start appearing in the Netherlands too.
AI in exams and assessment falls under the strictest EU rules
The European AI Act classifies AI systems used in education, such as exam assessment, as high-risk. Strict requirements apply: risk management, documentation, human oversight, and transparency. Schools that use such systems must be able to show they comply with the regulation.
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