CanadaEducation2023–2025University of Waterloo
Turnitin AI writing detection
Waterloo discontinued Turnitin AI detection after internal tests and a cost review
Problem
Waterloo used Turnitin's AI detection scores to help instructors identify possible prohibited AI use in student writing. The feature went live at the university on 6 April 2023.
Approach
Instructors received AI scores alongside Turnitin's existing originality reports, with warnings that a high score did not establish misconduct. Waterloo later said internal testing had repeatedly classified human writing as entirely AI-generated and had not established clear benefits. Citing expense, unreliability and research about bias against writers whose first language was not English, it discontinued the feature from September 2025. The university encouraged assessment redesign, AI literacy and academic integrity education.
Results
No published figures
Takeaway
Waterloo's internal testing did not establish that the detector delivered benefits worth its cost. Initial cautions about interpreting scores were followed by withdrawal of the feature.
Categories
- Industry
- Education
- Business function
- Internal work and knowledge managementProduction and quality
- Innovation type
- Process innovation
- AI technology
- Predictive analytics and ML
- Adoption
- Vendor solution
- Goal
- Quality and risk
- Evidence
- Company's own claim
Sources
Source summaries
The memo documented the April 2023 launch at Waterloo. It explained who could see the scores and warned that they were insufficient on their own to establish academic misconduct.
The announcement confirmed that the feature would become unavailable in September 2025. It listed the academic and technology bodies consulted before the decision.
Full details are in the original sources.
