Universities that turned off AI detection, and why
Short answer
At least 11 universities have publicly switched off Turnitin's AI writing detector or stopped using AI detection: from UCLA and Vanderbilt in 2023 to Curtin University (January 2026) and the University of the Free State (July 2026). Most kept Turnitin's similarity (plagiarism) checking.
The reasons they give are consistent: false positives, bias against non-native English writers, lack of transparency, student trust and, in some cases, cost. Several other universities still use detectors but won't accept a detector result as the only evidence of misconduct.
Which universities turned off AI detection?
In order of when the change took effect. Each entry links to the university's own notice in the sources below, except Australian Catholic University, which was reported by ABC News.
| University | When | What changed | Reason given |
|---|---|---|---|
| UCLA (US) | April 2023 | Opted out of Turnitin's AI detection preview | "Concerns and unanswered questions around this new feature" |
| Vanderbilt University (US) | August 2023 | Disabled Turnitin's AI detector "for the foreseeable future" | False positives (at a 1% rate, about 750 of the 75,000 papers it submitted in 2022), lack of transparency, bias against non-native writers, privacy |
| Baylor University (US) | End of 2023 | Let the Turnitin AI detection feature expire | Accuracy concerns, especially flags on non-native English speakers' writing |
| Rochester Institute of Technology (US) | May 13, 2024 | Removed AI detection in Turnitin | Unreliability; "instructors have no way to double check the validity of the results" |
| San Francisco State University (US) | June 1, 2024 | Lost access when Turnitin made it a paid add-on | Cost (not an accuracy finding) |
| Newcastle University (UK) | By March 2025 | "Does not use the AI detection feature within Turnitin" | Not stated on its help page |
| Australian Catholic University | March 2025 | Stopped using Turnitin's AI indicator | Reported by ABC News: cases where Turnitin was the only evidence were dismissed |
| University of Waterloo (Canada) | September 2025 | Discontinued Turnitin's AI detection | Unreliability, bias against students whose first language isn't English, human text flagged as 100% AI, cost |
| University of Cape Town (South Africa) | October 1, 2025 | Stopped using AI detection tools such as Turnitin's AI score | Unreliable tools that "risk undermining student trust and fairness" |
| Curtin University (Australia) | January 1, 2026 | Disabled Turnitin's AI writing detection on all campuses | "Fostering trust and clarity" and assessment design |
| University of the Free State (South Africa) | July 1, 2026 | Discontinued AI detection software in all faculties | Concerns about "accuracy, bias, and due process" |
What did these universities keep?
- Similarity checking. Curtin and the University of the Free State both say Turnitin's text-matching (plagiarism) checks stay on. Only the AI writing feature was turned off.
- Their integrity processes. Switching off a detector doesn't mean AI misuse is allowed. These schools still investigate misconduct using other evidence.
- A focus on assessment design. Curtin frames its change around assessments that are "secure, fair, relevant and future-ready."
Which universities restrict how detector results are used?
Some institutions keep detection but limit what a score can do:
- Syracuse University's integrity office "cannot accept cases that only provide AI-detector screenshots, results, or ChatGPT outputs as evidence," and asks for at least three independent points of documentation.
- The University of Melbourne tells students that "an AI writing detection report alone is not sufficient evidence for an allegation."
- Turnitin itself says its score "should not be used as the sole basis for adverse actions against a student."
Does this mean AI detection doesn't work?
Not quite. Independent tests in 2025 and 2026 found that the best detectors almost never flag ordinary human writing and catch most unedited AI text. But they also found real weak spots: short texts, AI-edited human writing, humanized AI text and, with some tools, non-native English writing. A university handling thousands of cases a year will hit those edge cases, so many chose not to rely on a score at all. What the accuracy studies found.
We update this list when we find a new official notice. Know of one we've missed? Email support@aicheckerplus.com with a link to the university's own page.
Questions people also ask
Did Turnitin stop offering AI detection?
No. Turnitin still offers AI writing detection and updated its English model in October 2026. The universities on this list chose to switch the feature off or stop paying for it.
How do I know if my university uses AI detection?
Check your institution's academic integrity policy or teaching and learning pages, or ask your instructor. Some universities announce the change publicly, like the ones on this list, while others change settings quietly.
Does turning off AI detection mean detectors don't work?
Not exactly. Independent tests in 2025 and 2026 found the best detectors have very low false positive rates on ordinary human writing, but none is proof, and accuracy drops on edited and humanized text. Most of these decisions are about fairness, due process and trust as much as raw accuracy.
Sources
- UCLA: Turnitin's AI writing detection preview feature opted out (Apr 2023)
- Vanderbilt University: Guidance on AI detection and why we're disabling Turnitin's AI detector (Aug 2023)
- Baylor University Libraries: Academic integrity and citations (updated Oct 2026)
- Rochester Institute of Technology: Unreliability of AI detector in Turnitin (May 2024)
- San Francisco State University: Discontinuation of Turnitin AI detection tool availability (May 2024)
- Newcastle University Library: AI detection FAQ (updated Mar 2025)
- ABC News: AI cheating cases at Australian Catholic University (Oct 2025)
- University of Waterloo: Discontinuing use of AI detection functionality in Turnitin
- University of Cape Town News: UCT scraps flawed AI detectors (Jul 2025)
- Curtin University: Update on Turnitin AI detection tool (Sep 2025)
- University of the Free State: UFS shifts academic integrity approach in AI era (May 2026)
- Syracuse University: Faculty submission guide for academic integrity incident reports (Spring 2025)
- University of Melbourne: Advice for students regarding Turnitin and AI writing detection
- Turnitin: AI writing detection capabilities FAQ (last edited Oct 2026)