Seminar on "Research Ethics in the Age of AI"

Seminar on “Research Ethics in the Age of AI”

A seminar on the topic “Research Ethics in the Age of AI” was organized by the Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Subharti Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Swami Vivekanand Subharti University, Meerut on 20th June 2025 in the Conference Hall, 6th Floor. The session was conducted by Prof. (Dr.) Prashant Kumar, Professor at Tilak School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut. The primary objective of the seminar was to create awareness among students and research scholars regarding the ethical responsibilities and challenges associated with the increasing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in academic research.

Prof. Kumar began the session by elaborating on the growing role of AI tools in various aspects of modern research, including data analysis, literature review, writing assistance, and referencing. He emphasized the critical need to distinguish between AI-assisted and AI-generated content, urging researchers to avoid uncritical dependence on AI without proper human oversight and evaluation. Several ethical concerns were discussed, such as the risk of plagiarism through AI-generated outputs, misuse of AI for data fabrication, algorithmic bias, and the often-overlooked issue of citing AI tools appropriately.

He also shed light on the relevant UGC guidelines and international ethical frameworks that guide the responsible use of AI in research. Highlighting real-life examples and case studies, Dr. Kumar illustrated how neglecting ethical principles while using AI can lead to serious academic violations. He stressed the importance of transparency, originality, and accountability at every stage of the research process when integrating AI technologies.

The seminar witnessed enthusiastic participation from faculty members, postgraduate students, and research scholars. Notably, Dr. Preeti Singh, Head of the Department, Assistant Professor Shelly Sharma, Dr. Beenum Yadav, and Prince Chauhan were also present during the session. Students of the Journalism and Mass Communication Department actively engaged with the speaker, and the interactive Q&A session allowed them to raise significant questions concerning ethical practices, plagiarism detection, and institutional responsibilities.

In conclusion, the seminar proved to be a timely and enlightening initiative, reinforcing the importance of ethical vigilance in the age of rapidly advancing AI technologies. It motivated the academic community to adopt AI thoughtfully, maintaining a strong commitment to academic integrity and responsible research conduct.