Confirm assessment expectations

AI use in the DP is not the same for every subject, task or stage of the process. What is appropriate for preliminary planning may not be appropriate for an Internal Assessment, Extended Essay, TOK assessment, portfolio, oral component or final submission.

Confirm expectations before using AI. Your subject teacher, supervisor and the school’s academic-integrity guidance determine what is permitted for your work.

Start with the assessment requirements

Before using AI, review:

• The task instructions and success criteria.

• Subject-specific assessment requirements.

• Guidance from your teacher or supervisor.

• The school’s academic-integrity policy.

• Any instructions about AI, citations, process evidence or drafts.

• Requirements for the final submitted version of the work.

Do not assume that AI is permitted because you used it in another class, for another task or at an earlier stage of the same project.

Confirm expectations with your teacher or supervisor

Ask early—before using an AI tool or incorporating any output into your work.

Useful questions include:

• Is AI permitted for this task?

• At which stages of the process may I use it?

• May I use it for brainstorming, feedback, language support, coding or data analysis?

• Which parts of the work must be completed independently?

• May I use AI-generated images, text, code or translations?

• How should I acknowledge and reference AI use?

• What process evidence should I retain?

• Are there subject-specific restrictions for this assessment?

For an Extended Essay, ask your supervisor. For an Internal Assessment, ask your subject teacher. For TOK, ask the teacher responsible for the task.

Make your question specific

Avoid asking only:

Can I use AI?

Explain exactly what you want to do and how it will support—not replace—your learning.

For example:

May I use ChatGPT to suggest alternative search terms for my Internal Assessment? I will select the terms myself, conduct the research using reliable sources and keep a record of the prompts I used.

Or:

May I use an AI tool to give feedback on the clarity of my Extended Essay introduction? I will retain my original draft, decide which feedback is useful and revise the work in my own words.

Specific questions allow your teacher to give guidance that is clear, fair and appropriate to the assessment.

Ask the librarian for research support

The librarian can help you to:

• Develop a focused research question.

• Plan a search strategy.

• Locate books, academic databases and credible websites.

• Find primary, government and multilingual sources.

• Evaluate sources suggested by AI.

• Check claims against reliable evidence.

• Create citations and a bibliography.

• Document AI use appropriately.

• Organise research notes, sources and process evidence.

The librarian can help you make informed research decisions, but you remain responsible for the choices you make and the work you submit.

Bring evidence of your process

When you ask for help, bring enough information for the teacher, supervisor or librarian to understand your situation.

This may include:

• The assignment instructions and assessment criteria.

• Your research question, plan or outline.

• Notes and sources already collected.

• Your draft or working document.

• Relevant AI prompts and outputs.

• A description of what you have done independently.

• Questions about citations, acknowledgements or process evidence.

Being transparent about your process makes it easier to receive useful guidance.

If you have already used AI

Do not hide, delete or misrepresent your use of AI. Ask for guidance as soon as possible.

Explain:

• Which tool you used and when.

• What you asked it to do.

• Which parts of its output influenced your work.

• What research, analysis and writing you completed independently.

• How you checked any claims or sources.

• Whether AI-generated material appears in the final work.

• What records of prompts, outputs or drafts you have retained.

Honest clarification is always better than waiting until the work is submitted.

Sample message to a teacher or supervisor

Hello [teacher’s name],

I would like to confirm whether I may use [name of AI tool] to help me [specific purpose] for [name of task]. I plan to complete [identify the parts you will complete independently] myself and verify any information using reliable sources.

Could you please confirm whether this use is permitted, what evidence of my process I should retain and how I should acknowledge or reference the AI assistance?

Thank you,
[Your name]

When to ask the DP coordinator

Speak with the DP coordinator if:

• You have received conflicting guidance.

• You are unsure how school guidance applies to a DP assessment.

• The question concerns academic integrity, authenticity or assessment regulations.

• You need clarification after speaking with your teacher or supervisor.

Before you continue

Check that:

• I have read the task instructions and assessment requirements.

• I know whether AI is permitted for this task.

• I understand which work must remain my own.

• I know how I will verify AI-generated information.

• I know what process evidence I need to keep.

• I understand how to acknowledge and reference AI use.

• I have asked for guidance if anything remains unclear.

Asking before you act is part of responsible, independent learning. When in doubt, pause and confirm the expectations.