This toolbox is designed to help you grasp the basics of generative AI and explore its potential applications in higher education. We will cover essential concepts, and direct you to tools and resources for deeper learning and practical experimentation.
Please note that because artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT are constantly changing and developing, that this is not an exhaustive list. We will continue to update this guide as new resources are made available.
For any comments, questions or suggestions, please email Mike Strittmatter, Digital Media Specialist, at mstrittmatter@harford.edu.
Image generated by Ideogram.AI using the keywords "AI in Higher Education".
Artificial intelligence (AI), is intelligence exhibited by machines, particularly computer systems. It is a field of research in computer science that develops and studies methods and software that enable machines to perceive their environment and use learning and intelligence to take actions that maximize their chances of achieving defined goals.
Reference
Wikipedia contributors. (2024b, August 8). Artificial intelligence. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_intelligence
Machine learning (ML) is a field of study in artificial intelligence concerned with the development and study of statistical algorithms that can learn from data and perform tasks without explicit instructions. ML finds application in many fields, including natural language processing, computer vision, speech recognition, email filtering, agriculture, and medicine.
Reference
Wikipedia contributors. (2024, July 31). Machine learning. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_learning
Generative AI is a machine learning technology that uses artificial intelligence to understand natural language inputs and can generate natural language outputs. Users interact with these tools in a question and answer style “conversation." The technology learns and improves based on more data and inputs that it is trained on.
Generative AI tools, like ChatGPT, can be useful in the research process for tasks like brainstorming, writing abstracts, or even getting feedback on your writing. They can produce a wide variety of content, such as:
Applications of Generative AI in Higher Education
Generative AI is transforming higher education in several impactful ways:
ChatGPT is an AI-based language model developed by OpenAI. It uses a type of artificial intelligence to understand and generate human-like text. and is trained on vast amounts of text data from the internet and designed to assist with a wide range of tasks, from answering questions to generating text based on prompts.
Here are some key aspects of ChatGPT:
Natural Language Processing (NLP): ChatGPT processes and generates text in a way that mimics human conversation. It understands context, can answer questions, provide explanations, and engage in dialogue on various topics.
Pre-training and Fine-tuning: The model is pre-trained on diverse datasets from the internet to learn language patterns and then fine-tuned with specific datasets to improve its performance in conversations and ensure its responses are relevant and accurate.
Applications: ChatGPT can be used for numerous applications, including customer support, content creation, tutoring, language translation, and more. It's also a valuable tool for brainstorming, learning, and entertainment.
Limitations: Despite its advanced capabilities, ChatGPT has limitations. It can sometimes produce incorrect or nonsensical answers, and its knowledge is based on data up to its last training cut-off, which is in 2021 for the GPT-3 model and 2023 for the GPT-4 model. It doesn't have real-time awareness or personal experiences.
Ethical Use: OpenAI emphasizes ethical use of AI and has implemented guidelines to prevent misuse. They encourage feedback from users to continually improve the model and address any potential issues related to bias, misinformation, or harmful content.
Text generated by ChatGPT
Reference
OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (Jun 7 version) [Large language model].