Learning and Working With AI¶
You already know what ChatGPT and Copilot can do. This page covers what you can't get by asking them: what the University of Alberta's rules actually say, what specific CMPUT courses allow, and where in the degree leaning on AI will cost you.
The University's Rules¶
There is no single university-wide AI rule for courses. Each course outline sets its own. The Provost's Taskforce on AI and the Learning Environment told instructors to "be clear with students about expectations regarding the use of generative AI, particularly in course assignments" and to put those expectations in writing where students can find them (Provost's Taskforce). The Centre for Teaching and Learning gives instructors sample syllabus statements and guidance on "tailoring your AI policies" (CTL: Teaching and Learning in the Context of AI). In practice, this means one course can encourage AI and the next can treat it as plagiarism. Read the outline for every course, every term.
The Code of Student Behaviour doesn't mention AI, but it still applies. The current Code (PDF, updated April 29, 2024, linked from the Code of Student Behaviour page) has no AI-specific clause. The Provost's Taskforce explains how the existing rules cover it:
- Section 30.3.2(2)c says "No Student shall represent another's substantial editorial or compositional assistance on an assignment as the Student's own work." The Taskforce's reading: "Submitting work created by generative AI and not indicating such would constitute cheating."
- The Code also bans submitting false statements of fact or fabricated references. The Taskforce notes that AI "hallucinations" "may fall into this category of cheating." If an AI tool invents a citation or a fact and you hand it in, that's on you.
AI detectors aren't the main risk. The Taskforce says "Generally, the U of A does not recommend the use of AI detection applications" (Provost's Taskforce). What catches people in CS courses is in-person assessment (see below).
The university-wide principles are transparency and accountability. The Framework for the Responsible Use of AI at the University of Alberta asks everyone, students included, to "Be transparent about how you use AI" and says "You are responsible for the ways you use AI and its outputs." The university's AI hub is Using Artificial Intelligence at the U of A, which links the library's Using Generative AI subject guide for students.
What Specific Courses Say¶
Only public course pages are listed here. Many outlines now live on the university's Simple Syllabus site, which needs a UofA login. For example, CMPUT 404's outline has a "Statements of Expectation for AI Use" section, but you'll have to log in to read it (404 outline links). Policies change from term to term and section to section, so check the current outline for yours.
| Course | Outline term | Policy summary | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| CMPUT 201 | Fall 2025 (Lin and Tang sections) | "Do NOT use any generative AI tools to generate your programs for submission (which is plagiarism)!" The page also warns that "Using generative AI tools to generate solutions does not mean you understand them!" | Course page |
| CMPUT 267 | Fall 2025 (Tkachuk) | Encourages LLMs like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude "as a primary resource for course-related questions," but says outputs "should not be blindly trusted" and students "are responsible for the information they submit." | Course site |
| CMPUT 301 | Fall 2026 | GenAI is allowed "within the guidelines specified for each assessment," but you must acknowledge it with a citation naming the company, tool, prompt subject, and date. Undisclosed AI work counts as plagiarism. The course may also use Gemini to help grade (you can opt out). | Outline |
The public CMPUT 229 lab site and CMPUT 415 docs don't state an AI policy. Their rules are in the outline or on Canvas.
Why It Matters in Specific Courses¶
The rules aren't the only issue. Several core courses assess you in person, without AI, on the same skills the take-home work is meant to build. If AI does the practice for you, you show up to those assessments unprepared.
- CMPUT 201: In Fall 2025, Lin's sections ran weekly quizzes, Friday in-class coding exercises, and an in-class closed-book midterm (one handwritten note sheet allowed), on top of the labs (schedule). You write C on your own under time pressure, so you need to have done the labs yourself.
- CMPUT 229: In Fall 2026, labs 2 onward are ungraded practice. Your mark for that material comes from a "1-hour paper-based lab exam, held during your regularly scheduled lab session." The course says "the most effective way to prepare for the lab exam is to solve the corresponding lab yourself" (lab site). Having AI do the lab gets you no marks, and you'll be writing RISC-V on paper.
- CMPUT 301: AI is allowed, but in Fall 2026 the midterm and final together are worth 45% (outline), and the outline warns that "LLMs like ChatGPT are wrong a lot." Being allowed to use AI on the project doesn't mean you can skip understanding it.
Industry and Interviews¶
- Some employers now build AI into interviews. In July 2025, Meta was developing a coding interview "in which candidates have access to an AI assistant," which it called "more representative of the developer environment that our future employees will work in" (WIRED, July 2025).
- Others forbid AI during assessments. Anthropic's candidate guidance allows AI for polishing applications and preparing, but says take-home assessments and live interviews are done without it "unless we indicate otherwise" (Anthropic candidate AI guidance). Check each company's rules before every round.
- Employers expect you to use AI on the job. In April 2025, Shopify's CEO told staff the company would factor AI usage into performance reviews (CNBC, April 2025).
- Developers use AI widely but don't fully trust it. In Stack Overflow's 2025 survey, 84% of respondents were using or planning to use AI tools, and more distrusted AI accuracy (46%) than trusted it (33%) (Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2025).
From Students¶
We want to hear from you
This section is waiting for first-hand accounts. How have you used AI tools in specific UofA courses, or avoided them? What helped, what backfired, and what would you tell a first-year? Open an issue and sign it with your term (for example, "took 201 F25").
Last verified: October 2026.