ChatGPT and other AI tools - is it allowed to use them for schoolwork?

I once had an assignment where I used ChatGPT to write a first draft - but then I realized the AI just strings together nonsense and I ended up spending more time correcting everything and researching myself than if I'd just written it from the start. The risk is also that teachers these days catch on pretty quick if you're just doing straight copy-paste or if it looks too polished. If you really want to use AI tools, then at most as a brainstorming aid or to check over your own text - but you have to be transparent about that, otherwise you'll quickly end up facing plagiarism accusations.

Most schools and universities have written down explicit rules about this by now, since it's just such a widespread issue. In my class, for example, my German teacher said we're allowed to use ChatGPT to brainstorm ideas or check texts, but not to have it write our entire homework for us. If you do that and your teacher finds out (and they usually do), you'll get a bad grade or even consequences like suspension if it's on an exam. So: first check what's actually written in your school materials.

The thing is, AI tools are part of reality now and some teachers actually see them as a tool - kind of like how you were allowed to use an encyclopedia back in the day. The difference is you still have to think for yourself and understand the work. Using ChatGPT as a brainstorming partner or to get an outline is often okay, but turning in the entire thing word-for-word is banned everywhere. To be safe, just ask your teacher directly how they see it - it comes across as honest and saves you stress.