Adelphi University student cleared after court finds AI plagiarism accusation baseless
Orion Newby, an autistic student at Adelphi University, was accused of using artificial intelligence to write a history paper after a professor ran it through Turnitin detection software. A state Supreme Court judge ruled the university's sanctions against him were "without valid basis and devoid of reason" and ordered the school to expunge his record, finding the accusation relied on unreliable AI-detection technology.
What happened
A professor at Adelphi University ran a history paper submitted by Orion Newby through Turnitin AI-detection software, which flagged the work as 100% AI-generated. The professor gave Newby a zero and the paper was deemed fraudulent, despite Newby's explanation that he had received help from tutors in Adelphi's Bridges program, which assists students with learning and neurological disorders.
Reported impact
Newby said he felt shocked and believed his life was over after the accusation. He did not want to be known as a plagiarist. The Newby family spent over $100,000 in legal fees to clear his son's name.
Index analysis
State Supreme Court Judge Randy Sue Marber found that Adelphi's plagiarism accusations and refusal of appeal were "without valid basis and devoid of reason." Educators told CBS News that AI-detection tools are not reliable enough, especially when students face serious consequences based on their findings.
Governance controls
The court ruled that Adelphi violated student rights procedures, did not allow Newby to speak with an advisor, and discounted his autism's impact on his writing. The ruling mandated that Adelphi expunge Newby's academic record and reverse the disciplinary measures.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.