Goldman bans fully AI-generated work in Hebrew University data science classes

Prof. Claudia V. Goldman has established strict protocols for the use of artificial intelligence in her data science courses at the Hebrew University Business School in Jerusalem. As an associate professor in the department, a role she has held since July 2024, she aims to integrate AI into the curriculum to address real-world problems. Her approach requires students to prove their human contribution to any assignment.

Goldman tells her students exactly when and why they may utilize AI tools. She mandates that they credit the technology and provide a detailed explanation of how they applied it. She stated that fully AI-generated answers are not accepted in her classes. Furthermore, she informed students that she can detect AI usage in their writing, encouraging them to use the technology for brainstorming while remaining critical of the output.

To maintain academic integrity, Goldman requires students to verify the quality of AI-generated information. She instructs them to check for bias and confirm that cited sources actually exist. Her evaluation method relies on a mix of classwork, presentations, and peer-organized discussions. This format allows her to assess student understanding in person rather than relying solely on written submissions. The courses also include discussions on human responsibility and professional values.

Goldman’s teaching philosophy contrasts with the concept of 'Human Reserved' jobs proposed by Bill Gates. She argued that the issue is not a simple binary of which professions remain human. Instead, she focused on understanding the specific benefits AI offers in different roles and identifying the critical skills needed to enhance those roles. The Business School supports this focus with specific courses such as AI for Social Good, Responsible AI, and When AI Meets Humans and Society.

Her academic and professional background informs her current role. Born in Argentina, she moved to Israel in January 1984 at the age of 16. She completed secondary education at Mae Boyer High School in Jerusalem in 1986 and served in the army. She subsequently earned three degrees at the Hebrew University: a BSc in computer science, mathematics, and electronics in 1991; an MSc in computer science in 1993; and a PhD in computer science in 1999. Her doctoral supervisor was Prof. Jeff Rosenschein.

Before joining the Hebrew University, Goldman held research positions at Bar-Ilan University, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and the University of Haifa between 1999 and 2005. She then transitioned to the private sector, working as a team leader at Samsung Telecom Research in Herzliya for three years. She spent the next 15 years as a research scientist in General Motors' research and development organization, also located in Herzliya. During her time at General Motors, she worked on introducing learning agents into the vehicle user experience to help drivers focus on the road.

Goldman holds 24 patents and has published more than 50 academic papers. Her family history includes a move from Buenos Aires to Israel after her parents decided to make aliyah. She attended a Jewish school in Buenos Aires through seventh grade, where she studied in Yiddish, Hebrew, and Spanish. In 1983, she told her father, "The only place I can see myself growing up is Israel." The family relocated six months later.

She met her husband, Prof. Roy Shenhar, a full professor at the Hebrew University's Institute of Chemistry, on the stairs of the Ross Building on the Givat Ram campus. They encountered each other three times unexpectedly. In 1995, he honored a Hebrew custom by buying her ice cream after the third encounter. They married in 1999. The Hebrew University currently operates a Free Listener Program that allows senior citizens to audit courses, a service that aligns with the beginning of the fall semester.