Artificial Intelligence Policies in Higher Education: A Randomized Field Experiment

Generative artificial intelligence (genAI) tools like ChatGPT are becoming increasingly embedded in daily life. In the field of education in particular, concerns have emerged about how these tools might positively or negatively impact student learning. In the current study, I conduct a randomized field experiment exploring how policies on genAI impact undergraduate students' beliefs, behaviors, and grades. Students enrolled in two sections of the same upper-level undergraduate research methods course were randomly assigned to a section that either permitted or prohibited genAI tools. At the end of the semester, students enrolled in the section permitting genAI tools had a more positive view of genAI in higher education. However, students enrolled in the section prohibiting these tools had a higher final grade. These results highlight the need for evidence-based guidelines on how to minimize the risks and maximize the benefits of genAI in higher education.