Generative AI: About
Image adapted from Grafiker61 on Wikimedia Commons.
Generative AI models, such as ChatGPT, are natural language tools which have garnered unprecedented global attention since their release in late 2022. They are designed to understand and imitate human-like language, and are trained on HUGE data sets, with enormous amounts of information from books, social media, articles and websites, as well as insights into the way which humans communicate. This means you can customise its vernacular to any parameters you choose; from a 6 year old child to a pirate!
Gen-AI can be incredibly helpful. For example; it can provide general overviews of any topic, summarise longer articles, provide feedback on grammar, translate texts, and create personalised study assistance to assist those with differing learning needs.
While it can be very helpful, it also has its pitfalls - especially in an academic context. As these tools only generate languaged responses - it doesn't actually know what it is saying, and therefore can't tell if it is true. It can tell you something that 'sounds right' based on its data set, however 'sounds right' and 'right' are not the same thing. This is because Gen-AI tools are language prediction models and an not all-seeing all-knowing AI.
In an academic context this has some serious implications. Many Gen-AI's are unable to cite their sources, and therefore its information is not verified. It contains inaccuracies and biases, especially in controversial or sensitive topics (remember, social media posts are a part of its data set, and probably Reddit threads too! This has not turned out well in the past.). It does not create original thoughts, and therefore critical thinking is not one of its functions. It also has serious implications for Academic Integrity standards and could cause issues around Academic Misconduct.
These models can be incredibly helpful, however - as with any unverified sources - make sure you triple check any information and take everything it tells you with a grain of salt.
CALT Kōrero Otago
A really interesting kōrero by Otago academics.
Senior Lecturer Lech Szymanski (Computer Science) gives an incredibly clear explanation of how Generative AI works at 4:35.
Glossary
Artificial Intelligence (AI):
AI refers to the development of computer systems that can perform tasks that would normally require human intelligence.
Machine Learning:
ML is a part of AI which involves using computer algorithms to recognize patterns in data and make predictions based on those patterns.
Natural Language Processing:
NLP is another branch of AI that focuses on enabling computers to understand and imitate human language.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the act of presenting someone else's words, ideas, or work as one's own, without proper attribution or permission. This can be in the form of directly copying or paraphrasing without proper citations.
Bias:
Bias refers to a prejudice for or against a group of people. In AI, this can be seen in distortions of the data, or the algorithm itself and may reinforce existing social/cultural/economic stereotypes.
The Singularity:
The singularity is a hypothetical point in time when AI surpasses human intelligence, leading to growth which is uncontrollable or irreversible. This is the point-of-no-return for a Matrix-esque a future ruled by AI.
Further Reading
Digital Skills: Artificial Intelligence by Publication Date: 2024“Artificial intelligence” contains 2 modules focussed on assisting students in developing skills around using AI tools in their studies. Including guidance on responsible use of AI tools, encompassing information on benefits, risks, and ethical considerations for students.
The Alignment Problem by ISBN: 9780393868333Publication Date: 2021-10-05Finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize A jaw-dropping exploration of everything that goes wrong when we build AI systems and the movement to fix them. Today's "machine-learning" systems, trained by data, are so effective that we've invited them to see and hear for us--and to make decisions on our behalf. But alarm bells are ringing. The Alignment Problem offers an unflinching reckoning with humanity's biases and blind spots, our own unstated assumptions and often contradictory goals. A dazzlingly interdisciplinary work, it takes a hard look not only at our technology but at our culture--and finds a story by turns harrowing and hopeful.
Atlas of AI : power, politics, and the planetary costs of artificial intelligence by ISBN: 9780300252392Publication Date: 2021In this book Kate Crawford reveals how this planetary network is fueling a shift toward undemocratic governance and increased inequality. Drawing on more than a decade of research, award-winning science, and technology, Crawford reveals how AI is a technology of extraction: from the energy and minerals needed to build and sustain its infrastructure, to the exploited workers behind 'automated' services, to the data AI collects from us.
A Citizen's Guide to Artificial Intelligence by ISBN: 9780262044813Publication Date: 2021-02-23A concise but informative overview of AI ethics and policy. Artificial intelligence, or AI for short, has generated a staggering amount of hype in the past several years. Is it the game-changer it's been cracked up to be? If so, how is it changing the game? How is it likely to affect us as customers, tenants, aspiring home-owners, students, educators, patients, clients, prison inmates, members of ethnic and sexual minorities, voters in liberal democracies? This book offers a concise overview of moral, political, legal and economic implications of AI. It covers the basics of AI's latest permutation, machine learning, and considers issues including transparency, bias, liability, privacy, and regulation.
Artificial Intelligence by ISBN: 9781003214892Publication Date: 2022-06-10Artificial Intelligence: An Introduction for the Inquisitive Reader guides readers through the history and development of AI, from its early mathematical beginnings through to the exciting possibilities of its potential future applications.
Machine learning and artificial intelligence by ISBN: 3031122828Publication Date: 2023The new edition of this popular professional book on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) has been revised for classroom or training use. The new edition provides comprehensive coverage of combined AI and ML theory and applications. Rather than looking at the field from only a theoretical or only a practical perspective, this book unifies both perspectives to give holistic understanding.
