Abstract
The rapid expansion of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) has created opportunities and challenges for Higher Education (HE), particularly in relation to academic integrity, authorship, and student learning. This pilot study examined two emerging AI-supported tools designed to promote responsible AI use, strengthen authorship authenticity, and support students' comprehension and writing development. Using a mixed-methods approach across two university cohorts in Australia, the study explored students' experiences of AI tools offering personalised authorship quizzing in a tool called Auth+ and AI-assisted concept explanation from video content in the application Tutbob. Students generally viewed Auth+ as a legitimate mechanism for checking authorship and reflecting on their writing, though high failure rates, and cognitive-load concerns, highlight the need for caution when interpreting quiz performance. Tutbob was perceived as useful for simplifying complex material, enhancing understanding, and improving academic writing, despite technical limitations in processing fast or noisy audio. Students expressed nuanced perspectives on AI, recognising its benefits while emphasising risks of over-reliance, unfair advantage, and diminished critical thinking. The pilot provides early evidence to inform practice, policy, and research on responsible AI integration in HE.