AI tools: are they a challenge for academic integrity?

In the contemporary period, we assist incredible discoveries with the advent of artificial intelligence (AI). Although designed with the role of providing support and helping the entire population in a wide variety of fields, the phenomenon is accompanied by potential risks, especially encountered in the field of education and research. The work is based on mixed methods of data collection and analysis, namely bibliometric, content, and interview analyzes, carried out with the help of Biblioshiny and Ligre v.6.5.1 software programs, to outline the relationship between AI and academic integrity, with a focus on the means, methods, and techniques specific to the use of AI, as well as the causes and favorable and unfavorable effects generated. The recent journey of these two concepts together is revealed, as well as their promising future. The most representative element of AI in the academic environment is ChatGPT, developed by the company OpenAI, which, together with other tools of this type, leads to educational innovation, improvement of critical thinking, efficiency, and effectiveness of the activity, while also having adverse valences such as risk of committing academic misconduct, addiction, the absence of human contacts, and emotionality.