Using AI Tools in Research: Integrity, Ethics and Responsible Practice

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly reshaping the research landscape, creating new opportunities for creativity, productivity and innovation, while also raising important questions around ethics, transparency, intellectual property, data protection and research integrity. This session introduces Bath Spa University's approach to AI, exploring how the University is balancing innovation with responsibility through its institutional policies, guidance and governance framework. 
Participants will gain an overview of BSU's AI Policy approach and the University's guidance for researchers, including practical considerations around ethical approval, data management, intellectual property, authorship, external funding and the responsible use of generative AI tools in research. The session will examine AI through the lens of the five principles of the Concordat to Support Research Integrity: honesty, rigour, transparency, care and respect, and accountability. 
Rather than focusing on technology, the session considers the broader ethical and societal dimensions of AI, including bias, environmental sustainability, trust, consent, governance and the responsibilities researchers hold when using AI in their work. Attendees will leave with practical tools and critical questions to help them evaluate AI use in their own research, navigate emerging risks, and make informed decisions that uphold the highest standards of research integrity and ethical practice.