Questions to Ask Before Using GenAI

Before using GenAI for an assignment, ask yourself the following questions:

• Does my instructor permit the use of GenAI tools for this assignment?
• Am I losing an opportunity to learn an essential skill by using a GenAI tool?
• Will the content generated be in my final assessment?
• Can I verify that the content generated has not been stolen from someone else?
• Have I considered the biases that may be shaping the creation of the content generated by GenAI?
• How will I check that the output generated by an AI tool is accurate?

What is GenAI?

ChatGPT is not a knowledge model, it's a language model

(AI explained: why it's different this time, 0:09:39)

GenAI tools like ChatGPT, Jasper.AI, and Gemini are not all-knowing entities. They are tools that recognize patterns of information and provide an answer that fits into those patterns though a process called machine learning (for more on machine learning, watch the video Computer Scientist Explains Machine Learning in 5 Levels of Difficulty). What is important about this pattern recognition is that GenAI does not engage in critical thinking, a crucial component of post-secondary education, when providing an answer. This means that content created by GenAI can be vague or outright wrong.

Overview of GenAI: Video

The video below by ​​​​​​Wall Street Journal News (2023) discusses how GenAI works, different perspectives about GenAI, and some of the risks involved when relying on GenAI.

Supplemental Resources

Elements of AI 

The University of Helsiki and MinnaLearn developed a free online course to help people learn more about GenAI. You can read through the sections to learn more about GenAI and the implications of this technology, or make a free account and complete the exercises to check your understanding.

ChatGPT and Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education

This quick start downloadable guide by UNESCO is a useful resource to begin your journey to understanding the implications of GenAI in Higher Education.