AI in the Academic Setting

ChatGPT is a sophisticated chatbot created by OpenAI using a large language model.  It is in the category of generative AI.  It uses text as its input and output methods.  It can produce unique content in response to user prompts.  It is trained to predict the likelihood of a given sequence of words based on the context of the words that come before it.  Its output can be conversation, essays, poems, recipes, song lyrics, etc.

This article provides a good summary: What is ChatGPT and How Can You Use It?

Below is a quick and easy algorithm to follow if you have any doubts about whether or not ChatGPT will be helpful for you!

licensed by CC BY

AI Pedagogy Project (from Harvard metaLAB) 

Allows you to experiment with GPT-4o for free and without creating an account. Also, gives some introductory info and additional resources if you click on the tabs at the top of the LLM tutorial page.

• ChatGPT explains its downsides
• ChatGPT, specifically ChatGPT 3.5 which is the free version, was trained on content that existed up to year 2021.  Because of this, it may provide outdated, biased, or offensive content.  The newest version of ChatGPT does now have access to the internet.
• ChatGPT will provide a response to the "best of its ability" which may be completely incorrect or inaccurate.  Its output must be diligently proofread and factchecked including any citations it may generate.
• ChatGPT and Information Integrity (free webinar)
• It is not a good idea to use ChatGPT as a citation generator.  It tends to create plausible looking citations for sources that don't actually exist or it incorrectly assigns a citation to a statement.  The citations it generates may contain inaccurate information and may be formatted incorrectly.  This blog gives some concrete examples of the limitations of ChatGPT and citations.