A 21-year-old law student at the Toulouse I Capitole university has had a five-year ban from all higher education institutions suspended after an administrative court in Toulouse ruled the punishment too harsh. The student was found to have used artificial intelligence (AI) during two exams in April: one on civil law and another on the history of institutions. The university's disciplinary committee had imposed the ban, citing a recurrence of misconduct, as the student had previously been excluded for six months in 2023 for fraud. However, the court found the sanction excessive and ordered the university to reassess the case. The student’s lawyer claimed that the AI tool was used only to verify a response, not to copy and paste text directly. However, the university maintained that the student did not deny using AI-generated content during the hearing. The judge overseeing the case did not determine whether cheating had occurred but noted serious doubts about the legality of the five-year ban. The judge suggested that a more limited exclusion, such as from the Toulouse I Capitole university only, would have been more appropriate. The ruling also highlighted a legal inconsistency: the education code allows exclusions only for public higher education institutions, but the university’s decision included both public and private institutions. The ban has been suspended, and the university is required to re-examine the case within 15 days. It must also pay the student 1,500 euros in court fees. The matter will be reviewed on its merits later, and the university may appeal to the Council of State, a higher administrative court. The use of AI in academic settings remains a legal gray area. At Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, a student was suspected of using AI to write her internship thesis, but the disciplinary committee did not sanction her. The university challenged this decision, but the court ruled that the student could not be held responsible due to a lack of clear internal rules on AI use. Legal experts recommend that universities establish clear, written guidelines on AI usage and maintain records of these policies to avoid ambiguity in disciplinary actions. While there is no clear legal framework, courts have not allowed AI use to go entirely unchecked. In Montreuil, a student was excluded for six months after a report indicated a high probability that their thesis was generated by AI. Lawyers emphasize the need to distinguish between acceptable AI assistance and over-reliance on technology that undermines intellectual effort. Meanwhile, Senator Alexandre Basquin has called for a complete ban on AI in graded work, citing concerns about plagiarism and a lack of original thinking. However, the ministry has yet to respond to this request.