SA Universities' AI Traffic Light System: How Your Mark Just Changed

What is the AI Traffic Light System?

Several South African universities have adopted a traffic light system to classify how AI can be used in different assignments. Instead of blanket bans or blanket permission, each assignment now comes with a colour code.

The three levels

Green: AI use permitted

• You can use AI tools freely for research, drafting, editing, and brainstorming
• You must still submit original work and cite AI use where required
• Common for: research projects, brainstorming exercises, data analysis assignments

Amber: AI use with restrictions

• You can use AI for specific tasks (like research or grammar checking) but NOT for generating content
• The assignment brief will specify exactly what's allowed
• You must declare any AI use in your submission
• Common for: essays, reports, literature reviews

Red: No AI use allowed

• No AI tools of any kind. No ChatGPT, no Grammarly AI features, no AI paraphrasing tools
• This is typically for exams, tests, and assessments where they're testing YOUR knowledge
• Using AI on a red assignment = academic misconduct
• Common for: exams, in-class tests, supervised assessments

Which SA universities use this?

The system is being adopted at varying speeds. Universities that have implemented or announced traffic light systems include:

• University of Cape Town (UCT)
• University of the Witwatersrand (Wits)
• Stellenbosch University
• University of Pretoria
• University of Johannesburg

Check your specific university's academic integrity policy for their exact implementation.

What you should do

1. Check every assignment brief for the AI use level before starting
2. When in doubt, ask your lecturer directly
3. Keep records of your work process regardless of the level
4. If no level is specified, treat it as Amber (use cautiously, declare everything)
5. Remember: the traffic light applies per assignment, not per course