Generative Artificial Intelligence

This guide includes an introduction to resources on Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI). Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence system that generates text, images, and various other media in response to user prompts. Use this guide to explore the history, key terms, issues/benefits, and tools on GAI. 

Neither Centre College nor the Grace Doherty Library have written policies on the use of AI in classes. Students should consult with their individual instructors regarding the use of AI tools in their coursework.

AI and Plagiarism

Plagiarism is defined as the act of using someone else's work or ideas without giving proper credit or attribution. All substantial GAI (Generative Artificial Intelligence) models use web page data without prior consent or knowledge of the web page owners, which would be considered plagiarism. Since chatbots generate new text in response to prompts, some claim using material from GAI would be closer to ghost writing.

If not sanctioned by the instructor, the use of GAI for coursework would be considered cheating, regardless of its status as plagiarism.

NOTE: Some scholars have proposed modifying the definition of plagiarism to focus less on the concept of theft and more on the intentional or careless lack of acknowledging one's sources. This new way of thinking of plagiarism would incorporate ghost writing, including text generated by AI, and the use paper mills and text (or content or article) spinners.

• Artificial intelligence (AI) is a field of study dedicated to creating computer programs or other machine-driven forms of intelligence. 
• Neural Networks are an approach to machine learning using many simple, but densely connected algorithms to solve complex problems.
• Deep Neural Networks employ many layers of neural networks to deal with complex subjects. 
• Generative AI is a type of AI system that generates text, images, or other media in response to user prompts.
• Large Language Models such as chatGPT apply deep neural networks to text data and generate output from prompts.
• Machine learning is a sub field of AI focused on the problems of designing recursive algorithms capable of learning.
• Natural Language Processing refers to a branch of artificial intelligence concerned with giving computers the ability to understand text and spoken word in the same way humans can.
• Supervised learning is a machine learning technique where the authors of the model tell the machine learning algorithm how to handle the training data in order to generate the desired output.
• Training data are the information that is digested by a machine learning algorithm. 
• Unsupervised learning is a machine learning technique where the machine learning algorithm creates its own labels for variables within the training data.

• Glossary of Artificial Intelligence Terms for Educators

  Center for Integrative Research in Computing and Learning Sciences (CIRCLS) glossary of terms related to AI systems and tools.

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) Terms

  Coursera developed guidance to 39 unique terms for AI research and understanding.

Much thanks to Andrew Beman Cavallaro at USF whose guide on AI Tools and Resources laid the foundation for and influenced this guide.