UChicago

Law School Policy on Generative AI

• 官方来源Official source https://www.law.uchicago.edu/students/handbook/academicmatters/generative-ai
• 域名Domain law.uchicago.edu

“Generative AI” refers to software, such as ChatGPT, that can generate original text (including research papers, exam answers, etc.) comparable in many respects to human writing. This is distinct from other forms of AI that have been commonplace for longer, such as software in familiar tools like Google and Westlaw search functions, that facilitates the search for and extraction of information from data sources. This is also distinct from apps used for writing and editing, such as Microsoft Word, that include features that provide spellchecking or suggestions for grammatical corrections.

The guiding principle here is that it is not considered generative AI use if one uses tools (or features of tools, such as spellcheck in Word) that may identify errors and/or offer suggestions for corrections to grammar, spelling, or punctuation, even if such tools may, to some degree, incorporate generative AI. It is, however, considered to be use of generative AI when one uses tools (or features) that can either make automatic edits and/or draft new text.

Default policy when an instructor has not set an explicit class policy

Exams

For exams, unless the instructor specifies otherwise, the use of generative AI is absolutely prohibited in any exam.

Students must not prompt or engage with generative AI in any way during an exam and every word of the exam answer must be produced by the student themselves during the exam period. This default prohibition does not extend to the use of generative AI when studying for an exam, so long as it does not violate any other aspect of this policy.

Work submitted for academic credit

For all work that a student submits for any form of academic credit, generative AI may not be used in a way that would constitute academic plagiarism if the generative AI were a human author whose work was used without attribution^{违规定性Integrity framing}.

Using generative AI to brainstorm ideas for a paper—akin to asking a search engine, professors, or professional contacts for suggestions—would not violate this default policy. Nor would using generative AI for proofreading.^{分级许可Tiered scale} The principle here is that if generative AI is performing a task that other technologies (or people) currently perform, and such uses are not a violation of academic integrity, then those uses of generative AI do not violate the default policy.^{默认规则Default rule}

In contrast, using generative AI to compose part or all of a paper, or copying or paraphrasing output from generative AI and passing it off as one’s own writing, would violate this default policy.

A student cannot avoid limits on the use of generative AI that would otherwise apply by attributing their work to generative AI.^{摘录Excerpt} Under the default policy, using generative AI to compose all or part of a paper, even if the use of generative AI is fully documented in properly placed footnotes, is a violation.

Instructor rules

Instructors have flexibility to set policy for the use of generative AI in their classes. Deviations from the default policy shall be stated in writing in the syllabus posted on Canvas for the class.^{课程规则优先Instructor override} The goal is to ensure that all parties have advance notice of the policies that apply to them, and that those policies are as clear as practicable.

Confidential and personal information

All uses of generative AI must be consistent with the University’s policies on confidential and personal information. The use of confidential data with publicly available generative AI tools is prohibited without prior security and privacy review. This includes personally identifiable employee data, FERPA-covered student data, HIPAA-covered patient data, and may include research that is not yet publicly available.^{数据与隐私Data & privacy} Information shared with publicly available generative AI tools may expose sensitive information to unauthorized parties or violate data use agreements.

Any information that you consider private or sensitive should not be shared with any generative AI tool unless the retention and use of that data for learning has been disabled.

2026 AI Strategy Statement: Rethinking Legal Education in the AI Era

• Official HTMLOfficial HTML https://www.law.uchicago.edu/news/ai-strategy-statement
• Official PDFOfficial PDF https://www.law.uchicago.edu/sites/default/files/2026-07/UChicago%20AI%20Strategy%20Statement_Final.pdf
• Implementation announcementImplementation announcement https://www.law.uchicago.edu/news/uchicago-law-unveils-new-ai-strategy-statement
• 发布方Issuer University of Chicago Law School
• 发布Published July 9, 2026
• 生效Effective Autumn/Fall Quarter 2026
• Main pilot periodMain pilot period 2026–2027 academic year

The strategy has three themes: developing AI-resilient pedagogy and assessment; elevating the “essential human” skills that distinguish excellent lawyers; and teaching the responsible, effective, and ethical use of AI. It says AI-resilient pedagogy does not mean preventing all student use: AI may increase effort and engagement when used, for example, to clarify background concepts or generate practice problems.

Required first-year core courses

During the 2026–2027 pilot, all sections of required 1L core courses prohibit laptops, tablets, phones, and other electronic devices in class. Limited exceptions include designated class scribes, faculty-authorized technology activities, and disability accommodations. Examinations are held in class without access to the internet, electronic files, or apps. The coordinated rules cover Civil Procedure, Torts, Elements of the Law, Contracts, Property, Criminal Law, Constitutional Law, Statutory Interpretation, and Transactional Lawyering.

First-year Legal Research and Writing

The 2026–2027 LRW pilot treats writing without AI as the foundation and deliberately layers AI-assisted work onto it. Students write independently without AI while also using AI for research, revision, draft iteration, and oral-argument preparation. Students and instructors review both the writing and the AI use so that students develop independent writing skills and learn to supervise and critique AI output.^{学习理由Learning rationale}

Electives and outside-unit courses

For upper-level electives and electives taken by 1Ls in Spring, the Socratic Method, no-device classroom, and in-class/no-access examination remain defaults rather than mandatory rules. Faculty may experiment with AI-resilient assessments and AI-enabled learning. Cross-listed courses and courses offered by other university units may follow those units’ different rules.

Substantial research papers

Beginning with the 2026 cohort of rising 2Ls, each JD student must discuss the student’s substantial research paper orally and in person with the supervising professor after submitting a complete draft or final version. The discussion may be individual or part of an academic-workshop-style presentation.

Clinics and course disclosure

Clinics will develop practice-area-specific AI policies designed to prevent AI-created errors in filings and other work product and to train students to work both with and without AI under supervision.^{核实责任Verification duty} Every instructor must state the course AI policy in the syllabus and explain it in class.