As AI reshapes how students of all ages learn, retain information, and complete assignments, some enrollees at Louisiana State University (LSU) are facing cheating allegations.

The allegations have created a significant backlog for the university’s Student Advocacy and Accountability Board (SAA), which reviews academic misconduct cases, many of them now tied to suspected AI use, WAFB 9 News reports.

Suspected AI Use Puts Student’s Scholarship At Risk

One student, identified only as Sarah, told WAFB 9 she was at risk of losing her scholarship after a professor gave her a zero on an assignment, claiming it was “93% AI-written.”

“So, then I turn to the other people in my class, and they’re like, yeah, we got zeroes on it,” Sarah recalled. “We don’t know what’s happening. We email her. She emails us back and says she’s reported us to SAA.”

Sarah said she received an automated message from the SAA after reaching out. The office informed her that it was backed up and that a case manager would contact her after reviewing her file.

The SAA resolved Sarah’s case in January 2026. She said she could either appeal the decision or admit to using AI, and chose the latter to move the process along since her tuition was at risk.

“I said that I used AI because one of my scholarships needed my grades, and if I appealed that I didn’t use AI, it would just prolong the process, and I really needed to submit them my grades,” Sarah said, per WAFB 9.

Students And Teachers Grapple With Anxiety

Public records from LSU show that dozens of students are facing similar allegations, according to WAFB 9.

Professor Andrew Schwarz, who teaches in the entrepreneurship and information systems department at LSU, shared insights about AI’s limits.

“An AI system cannot determine whether or not something that is generated is AI or not,” Schwarz said, per WAFB 9.

Schwarz added that the rapid development of AI is reshaping higher education, affecting both how instructors teach and how students complete coursework. He noted that unclear or inconsistent policies are contributing to increased anxiety among students.

“So, what we’re seeing is a lot of anxiety. Students are anxious because they don’t know really where should I use AI where should I not use AI?” he continued, per the outlet.

What LSU’s Academic Integrity Policy Says About AI

Students have criticized LSU for its lack of clear AI use policies, stating that expectations vary by professor, per Reveille, LSU’s student newspaper.

A notice on LSU’s “AI Resources and Suggestions for Students” webpage advises students to “always check with your instructor before using AI in class.”

Elsewhere on the page, students are directed to follow the policies put into place by their major.

Per Reveille, LSU has not made any statements about updating its AI policies.