Generative AI and Information Ethics: Tools & Applications

Despite the concerns surrounding AI, it doesn't imply that we should avoid using it altogether. AI can significantly enhance daily life by simplifying repetitive tasks. So, how can Generative AI be beneficial, and what resources are available to deepen our understanding of this technology?

Types of AI Programs

First and foremost is of course, ChatGPT.

• Brainstorming ideas
• Personalized recommendations
• Build templates, create multiple-choice questions and social media posts
• And much more!

While we do want to avoid the use of this program to create final work for assignments, consider these uses of it for learning:

• Students can use ChatGPT to help clarify information they may not fully understand.
• International students who may struggle with English, can use ChatGPT to help with their writing. ChatGpt has some language and translation capabilities that can help create readable sentences or paragraphs that some students may otherwise struggle with writing if, say English is not their primary language.
• Faculty can use ChatGPT to provide examples in class or generate a quick template for something.
• You can even use it to help reword emails, if you are struggling with finding the right way to say something.

However, there's one crucial step to remember when using AI for writing: DOUBLE CHECK EVERYTHING! Make it a habit to thoroughly review the generated content before proceeding. Developing critical thinking skills is essential to ensure the AI accurately maintains the information you intend to use, without introducing any unexpected or unusual elements.

AI can make mistakes and produce incorrect or strange information that you may not expect. It can also repeat information if you are not careful.

There is a site which you can use to test Generative AI programs and kind of pit them against each other. This site is called Chatbot Arena. With this site you can provide a prompt and the site will have two large language model AIs and allow you to then compare the results. You can then also vote on which result was better. This can be a fun and useful tool to help explain and see how AI learns and generates text based on provided prompts.

More and more companies are beginning to roll out different versions of AI to assist with everyday tasks. Adobe PDF Reader now has a chatbot to allow you to ask questions of the pdf which it will then provide information back based on the information within the document.

Other programs and sites include:

Perplexity AI

• Get answers to questions
• Summarizing articles and webpages
• In-depth topic exploration

Consensus

• Academic search engine
• Source materials come from Semantic Scholar’s database

Elicit

• Academic search engine
• Search for and find relevant scholarly resources even if they don’t match keywords
• Filter search by types of studies (systematic reviews, etc.)

Inciteful

• Academic search engine
• Search for relevant literature by performing title search
• See how the literature connects articles

LitMaps

• Academic search engine
• Search using a “starting paper” to find the most relevant articles connected to it
• Uses a citation network to locate articles
• Get alerts for new scholarship on your topic

Scite.ai

• Academic search engine
• Searches citation statement, title, and abstract
• See how articles are being cited and citing others
• Individual subscription - $20

Midjourney

• Works in Discord
• Chatbot that can generate images from simple text prompts
• Subscription plans start at $10 (basic)

Canva

• Generate images and artwork
• Create custom designs and templates using Magic Design

Boomy

• Create and publish songs
• AI and music automation systems let users personalize their creations
• Subscription level determines what license are applied to any song downloads

Gemini

• AI Chatbot users can pose prompts to generate responses (ask it to write, help, summarize, etc.)
• Create and generate images
• AI Premium ($20 per month)
• A Premium account includes Gemini in Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Meet

Copilot

• Combines LLMs with the different Microsoft tools
• Writing assistant
• Build powerpoint presentations
• Data analyzing & creating charts/graphs
• Subscription $20 per month (personal) ; $360 annually (business)