FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Seoul, South Korea, October 20, 2026. A new pilot project will study how large language models (LLMs) such as Claude, Gemini, and ChatGPT can be used in university-level philosophy courses and related humanities disciplines. It starts at Myongji University in Seoul.

The project does not focus on detecting AI-generated essays or monitoring student performance. Its central question is how LLMs can be used in the classroom to help students develop core philosophical skills: reading and writing complex texts, and communicating perspectives and arguments.

The pilot

The first phase will evaluate the seminar “AI Ethics” (Fall 2026) at Myongji University. For the first time, students are officially permitted to use any LLM at any point in class, including during discussions. Students and the instructor will test AI use across different teaching and learning phases. From these classroom experiences, the project aims to identify criteria for a trustworthy, context-specific use of AI in philosophy teaching.

Questions the project will explore include:

• Can LLMs be meaningfully integrated into classroom communication, and how?
• Which learning objectives must not be compromised by technical tools, and how could LLMs help achieve them?
• Where do LLMs support classroom communication, and where might they interfere with it?
• Can positive effects be sustained or scaled, or do they depend on circumstances?
• Which non-technological and technological factors matter most?

Ethical assessment with Z-Inspection®

In parallel, a group of experts will conduct an ethical assessment using the Z-Inspection® method. It will identify risks, surface tensions and frictions, define requirements and opportunities, and develop practical recommendations. This second track, to be carried out later, will be proposed as a third-party-funded project.

Project team

The group is led by philosopher Ralf Beuthan and will start with about seven members: a philosopher, an educational scientist, an AI expert, a legal expert, an ethicist, and a student from the seminar. Roberto V. Zicari, co-lead of the Z-Inspection® initiative, will serve as advisor. The first phase runs from November 2026 to January 2027 without external funding.

Contact: Professor Ralf Beuthan, Myongji University, Seoul

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