Faculty Spotlight: AI, Academic Freedom, and Truth

As artificial intelligence reshapes higher education, Dr. Natasha N. Johnson (EdD) is helping lead essential conversations about ethics, integrity, and academic freedom. Her recent article, Artificial intelligence, academic freedom, and the evolving debate over forgery and truth in the 21st century, appears in the Journal of Academic Freedom (Vol. 15), co-authored with Drs. Thaddeus Johnson and Denise McCurdy.

The article explores the tension many campuses are experiencing today: growing enthusiasm for AI’s potential alongside serious concerns about authorship, integrity, and truth in an increasingly politicized climate. Rather than framing AI as purely beneficial or harmful, the authors offer practical guardrails that encourage responsible innovation while protecting academic freedom.

These ideas carry directly into Dr. Johnson’s teaching. She guides students to use AI transparently and ethically—treating tools as a coach, not a ghost. Students are expected to disclose AI use, verify all outputs, follow disciplinary norms, and consider issues of privacy and equity.

Dr. Johnson also emphasizes real-world relevance, sharing cautionary examples such as deepfake scams alongside hopeful developments, including clearer AI disclosure policies that can strengthen research integrity.

In addition to this 2024 publication, Dr. Johnson and Dr. Thaddeus Johnson will appear in the Journal of Academic Freedom, Volume 16 (October 2025) with an article examining philanthropy and academic freedom.