Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Academia
Contact the Library
How to use this guide?
You can find basic definitions and information on artificial intelligence throughout this guide. The different tools and resources can help direct you in your research and scholarly writing.
There are many concerns on privacy, bias, hallucinations, and access with AI. AI is not privy to articles behind paywalls with databases, which can affect what type of articles and information you receive. While AI can be a great tool, critical thinking is important in using it.
Definitions
API (application program interface): a set of rules that allows programmers to develop software for a particular operating system without having to be completely familiar with that operating system (Webster).
AGI (artificial general intelligence): a goal of creating a computer system that is smarter than humans. A topic in research and science fiction (Wikipedia).
Bot: can refer to a robot, a chatbot, an internet bot, and more. These are computer programs that can converse in natural language that mimic human interaction or run automatic tasks (Wikipedia; Ward, 2023).
GAI (generative artificial intelligence): a type of artificial intelligence technology that broadly describes machine learning systems capable of generating text, images, code or other types of content, often in response to a prompt entered by a user (Hughes, 2023).
GPT (generative pre-trained transformer): A digital model that allows computer software to create natural-language text, generate computer code, and interact in a human-like way. A means of extrapolating new results from previous training. The most recent version, GPT-4, draws on nearly all text available on the internet (Ward, 2023).
LLMs (large language models): an approach to artificial intelligence that analyzes enormous amounts of text and creates probabilities for word sequencing. This analysis is often called training. A large language model allows ChatGPT and similar tools to respond to questions in ways that sound human. They string words together that mimic the patterns it has analyzed. “Large” refers to billions of words drawn from books and other digital texts (Ward, 2023).
Hughes, O. (2023, August 7). Generative AI defined: How it works, benefits, and dangers. Artificial Intelligence. https://www.techrepublic.com/article/what-is-generative-ai/
Ward, D. (2023). Using AI in nursing and nursing education [Word handout]. Presentation to KUMC's School of Nursing, Kansas City, KS, United States.
- Trustworthy AI (TAI) PlaybookA detailed analysis of what AI is and how it can be used by the US Department of Health and Human Services.
- Blueprint for an AI Bill of RightsA set of five principles and associated practices to help guide the design, use, and deployment of automated systems to protect the rights of the American public in the age of artificial intelligence.
Current Discussion
- KU Center for Teaching Excellence (KU CTE) BlogMaintained by a group of KU faculty, post-docs, and grad students affiliated with the KU CTE. Many posts on AI.
- MIT AI News FeedSee some of the recent articles at the bottom of this box.
- The ConversationArticles on AI by scholars at universities across the world.
- Next CoLabs InsightsA business' insights on AI.
