A.I. Policies in Maryland Universities

Gabriella Fine reports that “As AI use grows, many colleges are letting instructors set the rules” (Balt. Sun. Oct.19, 2026).

The article states: “Whether Joseph Sherman can use artificial intelligence on his University of Maryland coursework depends on which class he’s in.”

Since 2008, I have co-taught a class at the University of Baltimore School of Law, currently titled “Civil Discovery in the Digital Age.” Our policy has been:

Artificial intelligence (including generative artificial intelligence) is included within this policy. All submitted work must reflect student understanding and original thought.  Our policy is that you may use artificial intelligence; however, you are responsible for being aware of the ethical, legal, and other concerns, including those of “hallucinations” and lack of confidentiality in connection with AI.  In making your decision, you may choose to read A Review of Sedona’s “Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Practice of Law” by The Hon. Xavier Rodriguez.  While this course does not prohibit use of these technologies, with the exception of Lexis and Westlaw, we request transparency (by noting and/or citing when AI has been used).

I reported on a comprehensive article by the Capital News Service that was published in the Daily Record.  Use of A.I. in Maryland Universities (May 8, 2026).  The Provost of St. Mary’s College is quoted as saying: “We found it was really kind of a losing battle to define what constituted AI misconduct, and that what we needed was a much broader reckoning of how we define misconduct to begin with….”  The College “now requires every syllabus to include an AI policy, emphasizing that expectations may vary by instructor and discipline, but that students must be clearly informed of those rules in advance.”  Id.

One important issue is “what is AI?”  ABA Formal Opinion 512 (2024), n. 1, states: “There is no single definition of artificial intelligence.”  It may be that spell check, automatic completion, or grammar checkers are a form of AI.  A Court’s Standing Order on A.I. (Mar. 14, 2026)(“I suggest that Standing Orders referring to ‘AI’ are clear at their core, but may be fuzzy at their edges.”).

I have frequently quoted Doug Austin’s post, What’s Causing These AI Hallucinations and How to Fix It (Oct. 13, 2025).

Doug Austin’s solution to the use of AI is training and education:  “We need to treat gen AI models and other forms of automation with a similar level of caution we apply to handling hazardous materials or operating heavy machinery.”  He adds:

What’s causing these AI hallucinations? Something inherent in all of us – the desire to reduce effort, especially when we need to get things done quickly. Would you skip steps when handling hazardous materials? No, because we’ve all been trained to be careful with them. We need to learn to be just as careful when working with gen AI models, especially public LLMs like ChatGPT that are a “jack of all trades, master of none” when it comes to things like accurate case citations. Handle with care!

Doug also wrote: “The problem is a phenomenon known as ‘automation bias’, which is the tendency for people to believe a result just because it came from a computer program or algorithm. One example of automation bias is ‘Death by GPS’ where people drive their cars into a lake or off an unfinished bridge, just because the GPS told them to go that way (or they put their Tesla in ‘autopilot’ mode and went to sleep). In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that GPS causes over 200,000 car accidents every year in the US.”  What’s Causing These AI Hallucinations and How to Fix It.