Dartmouth provost resigns over AI use in published articles

President of Dartmouth College, Matthew Schnell, has resigned amid controversy surrounding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in his published articles. The decision to step down was made by Dartmouth President Sian Leah Beilock in respect for her colleagues and the institution.

An independent committee, appointed by Beilock, determined that Schnell fell short of university standards in multiple policies. The committee found that Schnell had used AI to meaningfully alter his writing, failed to disclose his use of AI, and was not forthcoming about its use. These actions violated the university's Code of Ethical Conduct, Academic Honor Principle, and Geisel's Policy on Expectations for Professionalism.

The controversy began in August when news outlet Semafor flagged at least 80% of an editorial Schnell wrote for The Washington Post as AI-generated. Dartmouth College subsequently used the same AI-detection tool, Pangram, to analyze nine of Schnell's professional publications. The results showed that 96% of his writing across these works, including two academic mathematics papers, was classified as AI-generated.

Despite claiming that AI was used for writing assistance only, without replacing his research, authorship, or intellectual judgment, Schnell's defense did not satisfy students and faculty. They argued that his actions violated Dartmouth's honor code, which requires disclosure of generative AI use. The school's advisory panel, formed following the backlash, concluded that Schnell had not fully cooperated with the investigation.

Interim Provost Matthew Delmont, a history professor and associate dean of faculty for international and interdisciplinary studies, will take over as interim provost through June 2028. Delmont expressed his commitment to serving the university, working closely with President Beilock, deans, and the Provost's Office team to continue supporting faculty, staff, and students.