Adelphi University facing lawsuit after AI-assisted plagiarism accusation against student
A sophomore at Adelphi University on Long Island, accused of artificial intelligence-assisted plagiarism, is now suing the school.
Orion Newby is denying that he used ChatGPT to write an essay.
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The accusation against Orion Newby
A professor at Adelphi reported that Newby used AI to write a history essay, and the school agreed.
Newby admits he got some help, but not from AI. Instead, he claims tutors with the university's Bridge Program, which assists special needs students like himself who have learning and neurological disabilities, aided him.
"I put 15-20 hours [in] on this work and I had tutors who helped me," Newby said.
Adelphi would not comment on the lawsuit, but in court papers stands behind its decision and code of academic integrity.
Adelphi depended on the AI-detection tool Turnitin to come up with its ruling. The company, which is not named in the suit, says it serves 16,000 institutions and has successfully reviewed 200 million papers.
"AI-detection tools are usually correct," Montclair State University Associate Provost Emily Isaacs said.
However, Isaacs said that's not always the case, so she advises faculty members at her school not to use AI detection.
"If you're that student that has been accused of using AI and you haven't, that's not fair, that's not good enough. We have to have an evidentiary trail," Isaacs said.
"[I'm] very devastated that this even happened to me"
Newby, his parents, Candace and Hunter, spoke to CBS News New York on Friday about the gut-wrenching accusations.
"My heart was pounding," Newby said. "It is an exploding issue and, like, a lot of kids have been affected by this."
"They violated their own policies by not letting Orion be heard or even defend himself," Candace Newby said.
Mark Lesko, Orion Newby's attorney, added, "This is a unique case. He needs some tender, loving care and some sensitivity, instead of a heavy-handed approach to the allegation."
Orion Newby wants to overturn Adelphi's findings of wrongdoing and get a refund for tuition and fees he paid.
"[I'm] very devastated that this even happened to me," Orion Newby said.
"Obviously, we are determined to help our son," Hunter Newby added.
