ChatGPT is a type of generative AI that is capable of creating new and original content. It is a large language model (LLM), which means it was trained to recognize patterns using large quantities of unlabeled text. It uses these patterns to create new content from scratch.
Generative AI has a large range of uses, from summarizing complex topics in plain language, to programming code, or writing a short story about a pigeon using the voice of a pirate (called 'Plucky Pigeon's Quest').
This type of AI also has potential ethical and societal concerns. To start, any bias or discrimination that is present in the data it was trained on can show up in the content it creates. Generative AI also makes mistakes and has been known to completely fabricate answers. When using AI tools like ChatGPT, it's important to evaluate the content provided. For more information on evaluating generative AI content, see the 'Evaluating AI Generated Content' page.
Since it's release in November 2022, ChatGPT has prompted discussions and questions about student use of the tool and it's impact on academic work. Some academics are jumping to criticize the tool and it's potential to complete student's work, while others are finding ways to embrace the new technology and incorporate it into their teaching philosophy. Regardless of which side of the debate you fall on right now, it's important to understand how to use the tool, it's potential upsides and drawbacks, and from there formulate a plan of action.
Use the 'Suggestions for Instructors' page to understand ways you can address AI in the classroom, and suggest your students review the 'Suggestions for Student's' page.
Suggested readings:
ChatGPT and Education (Smulders, February 2023)
Teaching and Learning with Artificial Intelligence Apps (Eaton & Anselmo, January 2023)
Unless otherwise noted, this guide is licensed under a CC BY-SA 4.0 (Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License).
