View of This study analyzes the use, implications, and ethical perceptions of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in the development of academic papers among third-year high school students in the city of Cuenca, Ecuador. Physical and digital surveys were applied to 310 students from public, fiscal, and private institutions. It is evident that 90% of students use AI tools such as ChatGPT, Meta AI, among others, for research (33%), idea generation (24%), and text writing (18%). However, 57% of them admit to copying the texts generated by AI verbatim and without modifications, which suggests a high rate of plagiarism and its normalization. Regarding the ethical perception of the use of these tools, 43% believe that using AI negatively affects academic integrity, although a large percentage considers its use ethical depending on how it is applied. It is concluded that, although AI offers many advantages in the educational field, it also presents ethical and pedagogical challenges. It is recommended to implement training on academic ethics, establish clear guidelines for the use of AI, and promote critical thinking to mitigate risks such as plagiarism and dependence on technology

Journal 593 Digital Publisher CEIT