Headlines of “Nanyang Technological University (NTU) penalises three students over use of AI tools; they dispute university’s findings” have rocked the student community at large.
In case you missed it, here’s a quick summary of what happened:
On June 19, 2025, an NTU student took to Reddit to vent their frustrations for being accused of academic fraud for their supposed use of generative AI tools on an essay – a case that two other NTU students were accused of too for the non-existent academic references and statistics or broken web links found on their assignments.
While two of the students admitted to using Gen AI tools, the third (who posted on the Reddit forum) claimed to be unaware that the platform they used – which markets itself as an AI-powered essay-writing service – fell under that category.
What’s worth noting is that all three students told the Straits Times that they were accused of academic fraud over citation-related issues despite submitting evidence of their writing process or intent.
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The student who posted on Reddit shared that while they made three citation mistakes and typos, the other 20 citations were correct. They also revealed that they used a reference organiser – a tool that helps collect and organise references and citations – to list her references in alphabetical order, which is what was required of the academic writing style.
“I asked for leniency during the hearing, and [the professor] said there will be ‘no negotiation’,” wrote the student. “I did everything you can possibly think of: I submitted my Google Docs version history, I showed all my writing drafts, I even paid SG$10 for a Draftback extension that converts my Google Docs typing process into a video that shows your writing process. I did everything to show that this essay was written from scratch. I showed my previous essays for other modules to show that I had a consistent writing style.”
The good news is, as of June 24, 2025, the student’s academic panel concluded that her assignment had no form of Generative AI after thoroughly looking at how the alphabetiser works.
But this one case – and the concerns about the disciplinary processes – are spooking students.
“Without the proper processes in place, I would be extremely afraid as a student, as I would have to focus on covering my ass (making sure to scrutinise every page, terms of service and API) of every website I choose to reference from to ensure that I cannot be labelled as an academic fraud without trial, instead of focusing on the learning.”
There’s much to learn from this — below are our top three takeaways:
There are plenty of AI tools out there. The key is knowing how to use it in the right academic situation. Source: AFP
3 lessons to learn from NTU giving zero marks to students using AI tools
Be absolutely certain you’re not using AI tools
There are plenty of resources on the internet, and you’d be a fool not to use them. But in today’s day and age, AI tools are more common than not, and not all of them advertise themselves that way.
It’s always better to be safe than getting zero marks for an exam. And the best way to do that is to check with your professors or programme head about their policies on using AI tools.
In fact, check with every single person marking your projects and assignments whether using AI tools is okay.
Better yet, request a list of reliable AI tools from the university or professor as well as how you can use them. Make sure you have this in black and white, just in case too.
Thailand Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra delivers her opening remarks during the UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, in Bangkok on June 25, 2025. Source: AFP
The lack of proper checks and processes for AI in academia
One of the biggest issues with the NTU story is how each of the three students faced multiple roadblocks when disputing the university’s findings.
From having a professor raise a voice at them in the academic hearing to being passed around to various higher-ups in the university when seeking help, it shows how new and uncertain everyone is with how to deal with AI tools.
It’s a problem beyond NTU and Singapore – students, teachers, and universities worldwide have access to AI tools and are grappling with how to use them correctly for academia.
Persistence and proof can help you win your case. Source: Pexels
Learn how to defend yourself from false accusations
Perhaps the biggest lesson to learn from the accused students here is that if you find yourself falsely accused, don’t give in.
Seek help from wherever you can. The NTU student reached out to the head of academics, the dean, the president, and the head of student services, for example, before they headed over to Reddit and garnered the nation’s attention.
While trial by Reddit isn’t ideal, it did end up with them being able to keep her academic record and transcripts fraud-free.
