Faculty researcher tackles academic integrity in the age of AI

When integrity in higher education is paramount to success, using artificial intelligence could hinder the development of real-world skills that students need to enter the professional world. With that in mind, Boise State University Associate Professor Steven Pentland is working to ensure students are prepared to enter the workforce with everything they need to thrive.

Pentland asked, "How can we create an avenue for learning, given the widespread normalization and use of AI?" The answer? A verbal assessment platform to measure students' knowledge in their own words, preventing the inappropriate use of AI tools as a workaround to building knowledge. His future-forward development is made possible through Boise State's TRANSFORM Seed Grants Program, and it could redefine how educators nationwide assess student knowledge more accurately in the age of AI.

So, what is a TRANSFORM grant, and how is it instrumental in supporting initiatives like Pentland's?

The TRANSFORM Seed Grants Program is part of a larger, campus-wide initiative to accelerate the translation of academic discoveries into tangible solutions for the public. The program, funded by a National Science Foundation Accelerating Research Translation award, emphasizes supporting faculty innovations with commercialization potential. Boise State was one of only 17 institutions nationwide to receive this award, based on the university's commitment to fostering a culture of innovation that enables researchers to make a real-world impact. Pentland was one of six researchers selected to receive a TRANSFORM seed grant this year, a testament to the potential of his project to create meaningful change that extends beyond the university.

Pentland's research, rooted in a decade of work on automated interviewing technologies, addresses a critical gap left by traditional assessments and unreliable AI detection tools.

"What students submit can no longer be trusted as their own work or their own knowledge," he said.

His solution allows educators to return to the fundamentals of education by assessing students' knowledge through their own voices, a method that is not only critical in the age of AI but also more effective than written assignments, which are prone to AI-generated content. The TRANSFORM seed grant will allow Pentland to scale his solution for deployment at universities broadly.

"Most of the funding is going towards software robustness and scalability," he said. "This will allow us to take what we've done and make it into something that can be used at institutions around the country."

Pentland, who has been with Boise State since 2018, praised the university's culture of innovation and the recent support he received from the Office of Technology Transfer, which connected him with external business advisor Ben Hoban to assist with business development and go-to-market strategy. This collaborative approach underscores Boise State's commitment to fostering an environment where faculty can conduct their important research, then turn their discoveries into self-sustaining ventures that create a positive impact on society.

Looking ahead, Pentland and his team plan to seek additional funding through private ventures and government grants to continue advancing the technology and building a self-sustaining business. His project was also recently selected as a finalist to pitch during Boise Entrepreneur Week.

The success of Pentland's AI-powered academic integrity research exemplifies how Boise State is solidifying its position as a national leader in innovation by empowering researchers to create meaningful change that extends beyond the lab.

For more information about Boise State's TRANSFORM Seed Grants Program, visit boisestate.edu/transform.

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