AI in IB: What Is Allowed and What Is Not

26th October, 2026 | Abhishek Malani | 14 Min Read
Introduction
Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT are changing how students study, conduct research, organise information and prepare for exams. For IB students, these tools can explain difficult concepts, generate practice questions, suggest alternative perspectives and provide feedback on writing. However, using AI during the learning process raises important questions about academic integrity, particularly when students are completing work for assessment.
Quest For Success’ guide explains the IB’s approach to AI and academic integrity, considerations for the IA, EE and Theory of Knowledge (TOK), how to acknowledge AI use, and practical ways to use AI responsibly while studying for the IB Diploma Programme (DP).
AI in IB explained with academic integrity rules for IA, EE and TOK, ChatGPT usage guidelines and responsible AI practices for IB students.

What Is the IB's Policy on AI and Academic Integrity?

The IB’s approach to artificial intelligence is part of its broader commitment to academic integrity. Students are expected to produce authentic work that reflects their own abilities, understanding and thinking. They must also acknowledge the sources that contribute to their work.
According to the IB’s official statement on ChatGPT and AI in assessment and education, the organisation does not intend to ban AI software. Instead, it expects schools to help students understand how to use these tools ethically and effectively.
This does not mean that every use of AI is permitted in every assignment. There are several important principles to understand.
1. Submitted work must be authentic.
The work you submit for assessment must genuinely reflect your own abilities. If an AI tool generates a paragraph, analysis, image or graph that you incorporate into your work, you cannot present that material as though you produced it independently.
2. AI-generated material must be acknowledged.
The IB requires AI-generated material included in assessed work to be clearly identified, credited in the body of the text and appropriately referenced in the bibliography. Students should also follow any assessment-specific requirements and their school’s instructions.
3. Students remain responsible for the information they use.
AI tools can produce inaccurate information, fabricated references, misleading explanations and biased interpretations. Students must evaluate their outputs critically and verify important claims against reliable sources.
4. Transparency matters throughout the research and writing process.
Students should be able to explain their work, show how their ideas developed and identify which contributions are their own. Keeping drafts, research notes and records of sources can help demonstrate this process.
These principles reflect the IB’s wider approach to academic integrity: students should recognise the contributions of others while taking responsibility for their own work.
explore IB coaching

Can IB Students Use ChatGPT for Their IA, EE and TOK?

There is no single yes-or-no answer that applies to every use of ChatGPT across the IB Diploma Programme. Students need to consider the purpose of the assessment, the role AI plays in their work, the relevant subject requirements and their school’s instructions.
Here is how to approach three major DP assessment components.
Facebook Instagram Linkedin Youtube
Register With Quest For Success

Three words do most of the work.

Featured Reads
Categories
ChatGPT and the Internal Assessment (IA)
AI can be useful for learning and preparation where its use is permitted. For example, students might ask ChatGPT to:
  • Explain a difficult concept in simpler language.
  • Generate practice questions to test their understanding.
  • Explain a research method or clarify unfamiliar terminology.
  • Suggest questions to consider when planning an investigation.
  • Help identify gaps in their understanding before discussing them with a teacher.
However, there is a difference between using AI to understand a method and allowing it to complete the assessed work.
Students should not present AI-generated analysis, interpretations or conclusions as their own. They must also avoid fabricating observations, experimental results, survey responses or other data and claiming that these were collected during their investigation.
AI and the Extended Essay (EE)
The Extended Essay requires students to investigate a focused research question, engage with relevant sources and develop a sustained, evidence-based argument.
AI can support early exploration by explaining unfamiliar terminology, helping students understand a broad topic or suggesting questions to investigate further. It may also help students identify concepts they need to research independently.
However, students are responsible for developing their research question, reading and evaluating relevant sources, analysing evidence and constructing their argument. They should not submit AI-generated paragraphs, analysis or conclusions as their own writing.
AI-generated references also require particular caution. A tool may produce a plausible-looking citation for a source that does not exist, or misrepresent the findings of a real publication. Students should locate and read the original sources before relying on them.
Students should also retain research notes, drafts, source records and other evidence of how the essay developed. These records can help students explain their decisions and demonstrate their independent contribution.
AI and Theory of Knowledge (TOK)
Theory of Knowledge encourages students to examine how knowledge is produced, justified and interpreted. AI can provide material for this kind of critical inquiry, but it cannot replace the student’s own reasoning.
Students might use AI to explore different perspectives on a knowledge question, identify assumptions in an argument or generate a counterargument to evaluate. They can then assess whether the reasoning is convincing, whether the claims are supported and whether relevant perspectives have been overlooked.
AI-generated responses should be treated as material to examine, not as automatically reliable explanations.
Students should develop their own analysis, select relevant examples and explain their reasoning independently. If AI-generated material is incorporated into submitted TOK work, it must be acknowledged according to the applicable IB guidance and school instructions.

How Should IB Students Acknowledge AI Use?

When AI contributes to your work, keep a record of its use so you can meet the relevant acknowledgement requirements and explain your process if asked. Depending on the assessment and your school’s instructions, this may include:
  • The tool used: For example, ChatGPT.
  • The date of use: When you generated or obtained the relevant output.
  • The prompt or prompts: The questions or instructions that produced the material.
  • The contribution: What text, ideas, images, explanations or other output you used, or how it influenced the work.
  • Your evaluation and revisions: How you checked the output, what you changed and how you developed the final work independently.
The important point is to maintain enough information to meet the applicable acknowledgement requirements and explain your use of AI when asked.
Keep in mind: Acknowledging AI is not the same as verifying a source.
Suppose ChatGPT gives you a statistic about climate change and names a research paper as its source. Citing the AI tool does not establish that the statistic is correct or that the paper supports the claim.
You should locate the original paper, verify the information and cite the original source when it supports your argument. If you also incorporate AI-generated material, acknowledge that contribution separately as required.

How Can IB Students Use AI to Study More Effectively?

AI can be a useful study partner when it helps you understand, practise and evaluate your own work. The aim should be to strengthen your learning, not to avoid doing the thinking yourself.
Here are several practical ways to use AI during the IB Diploma Programme.
  • Understand difficult concepts: Ask AI to explain a concept at different levels of difficulty, then check the explanation against your course materials.
  • Create practice questions: Generate questions on a topic you have studied, answer them independently and ask for explanations of any mistakes.
  • Plan revision: Use AI to organise topics into a revision checklist or help identify areas to revisit based on your own practice results.
  • Improve writing and arguments: Ask AI to identify unclear reasoning or suggest questions to consider. Evaluate the feedback and make your own revisions.
  • Practise languages and orals: Use AI for vocabulary exercises, conversation practice or follow-up questions, while following your teacher’s rules for assessed oral work.

How to Use AI Responsibly: A Checklist for IB Students

Use this checklist whenever you are considering AI for schoolwork. It covers the steps to take before, during and after using a tool.
Before using AI:
  • Check whether AI use is permitted for the specific task.
  • Read the relevant IB assessment guidance and your school’s instructions.
  • Understand what the assessment is designed to evaluate.
  • Decide whether you need clarification, practice, feedback or another form of support.
  • Avoid entering personal, confidential or sensitive information into an AI tool.
While using AI:
  • Ask questions that help you understand rather than simply generate a finished answer.
  • Verify facts, calculations, quotations and references independently.
  • Check original sources before relying on AI-generated claims.
  • Keep records of relevant prompts and outputs if they may need to be acknowledge.
  • Do not present AI-generated work, fabricated evidence or another person’s work as your own.
  • Follow any restrictions your teacher has set for the task.
Before submitting work:
  • Review the current IB guidance, subject requirements and school instructions.
  • Make sure the analysis, decisions and final work genuinely reflect your own understanding.
  • Acknowledge and reference AI-generated material as required.
  • Confirm that every cited source exists and supports the claim attached to it.
  • Keep drafts, research notes and source records that demonstrate how the work developed.
  • Make sure you can explain and defend the work you are submitting.

How Quest for Success Can Help

At Quest For Success, we offer a highly personalised and thorough IB coaching programme designed to support students across their Diploma Programme. Our online sessions are taught by subject specialists who work closely with students and their families to develop an individualised study plan tailored to each student’s starting level, target grades, and specific areas for improvement. Features of our programme include live 1-on-1 sessions with dedicated subject experts to ensure focused attention and targeted concept reinforcement, holistic support across Higher Level (HL) and Standard Level (SL) subjects as well as core components like TOK, EE, and CAS, and consistent progress tracking to monitor steady improvement without compromising standard school coursework. Families can reach out to Quest For Success to learn more and book a free demo class.

Summary

The IB does not ban artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT, but expects students to use them ethically and maintain academic integrity. While AI can support study and research—such as explaining complex concepts, generating practice questions, and refining writing—submitted work must be authentic and genuinely reflect the student’s own understanding. AI-generated contributions must be explicitly acknowledged and referenced, and students remain responsible for verifying information independently.
contact us today
Explore More IB Resources
Ready to Excel in the IB Diploma Programme? Explore These Helpful Resources

IB Extended Essay Topics: Discover IB Extended Essay topic ideas and learn how to choose a focused research question that aligns with your interests and academic strengths.
IB Maths IA Ideas: Explore interesting IB Mathematics IA topics and find ideas to develop a focused research question that connects mathematical concepts with real-world applications.
IB Physics IA Ideas: Discover IB Physics IA ideas involving experiments, data analysis and scientific investigation to help you choose a suitable topic for your Internal Assessment.
IB Psychology IA: Understand the IB Psychology Internal Assessment requirements and explore guidance on research methods, experimental design, data analysis and report writing.
IB Business Management IA: Learn how to approach your IB Business Management IA, select a suitable business issue, use supporting evidence and apply business management tools effectively.
TOK Essay Titles: Explore IB Theory of Knowledge essay titles and learn how to build clear arguments, evaluate different perspectives and support your ideas with relevant examples.
IB Study Plan: Build a structured IB study plan to manage SL and HL subjects, balance coursework and revision, and prepare confidently for examinations.

FAQs

The IB does not impose a blanket ban on AI software. However, AI use must be consistent with the IB’s academic integrity expectations and the rules for the particular assessment. AI-generated material included in assessed work must be acknowledged and referenced appropriately.

ChatGPT may be useful for permitted learning and research support, such as clarifying unfamiliar terminology or exploring a topic. However, you must develop your own research question, evaluate your sources, construct your argument and produce authentic work.

If you include AI-generated material in assessed work, the IB’s published guidance requires you to credit it in the body of the text and reference it appropriately in the bibliography.

There is no single reliable test that can establish authorship in every case simply by labelling text as AI-generated. The IB has stated that it does not want to rely on an escalating contest between AI-detection tools and AI-writing tools. Academic integrity concerns may instead be examined through evidence such as the development of the work, the student’s ability to explain it and the clarity of their use of sources. Students should not rely on the limitations of detection tools as a reason to submit AI-generated work as their own.

Want to know more about our expert-led IB coaching services? Contact Quest For Success today!
Featured Reads
Categories

While You're Here