Generative AI

Generative artificial intelligence technology is still in a very early stage and it’s not yet clear all the ways it is likely to change how we learn, how we teach, and how we work… but it is clear that it will have a giant impact and as such it is important that we, as students, staff and faculty at UP, have a grasp of the technology, begin to understand how it can make us more effective, and consider the dangers and ethical questions that the technology poses.

While a full introduction to generative AI would be beyond the web page’s scope (and almost immediately outdated), some key questions can be answered.

Q: Are we allowed to use generative AI at UP?

Absolutely!  Like with many technologies, there are a few basic principles you should keep in mind:

1. Be careful sharing data with an AI, just as you hopefully would with anything on the Internet.  Don't give away sensitive information, or your own intellectual property.  Before pasting other people's content (like articles from journals) into an AI tool, check to see whether that's prohibited by the author. 
2. A human needs to check the output. Again... just as with anything else on the internet, you shouldn't just trust the AI to be true and unbiased.  Check content before you use its output to make a decision, or use code it generates, or include it in an assignment or online post.
3. Be honest about it. Ultimately, each faculty member determines for their class whether using AI-generated content to inspire you or as part of your submission in an assignment is allowed.  Check your syllabus or ask your professor.  No matter what, though, don't try to pass off AI-generated content as your own.  Cite it as you would other sources.  

Ultimately, the trend is that tools like generative AI are proving to be most powerful when they aren't replacing human beings, but rather as a tool that makes humans better.

Q: Does UP provide any generative AI tools?

UP faculty, staff, and students have access to the basic version of Microsoft’s Copilot platform, available at https://copilot.microsoft.com (once there, you’ll need to log in with your UP username/password for the full capabilities of the system).  Some staff may find they don't have access and will need to contact the help desk to have a license assigned.

For those who wish to delve deeper, Microsoft Copilot for Office 365 extends the capabilities of Copilot considerably, giving it the ability to read and use the information in your Office documents, OneDrive storage, Microsoft teams, and emails.  Copilot becomes a partner present in all the Office applications to start drafts for you, suggest improvements, and scan through big batches of information to generate summaries (currently only the online and mobile versions; later versions of the desktop applications will be updated to include this).  In order to use Copilot for Office 365, UP faculty and staff will need to identify a budget that can pay for the license, which costs $30 per user per month.  Please contact the UP Help Desk if you are interested in purchasing licenses. 

Copilot is powered by OpenAI technologies including GPT-4 and DALL-E 3, meaning it’s a very powerful chat processor – you can start with a prompt, like “Explain to me some ways in which Dadaism influenced modern artists” and then continue the conversation to delve into details.   Many have described a productive working session with generative AI as being much like having an extra colleague nearby to brainstorm with.  You can also assign the AI a role for the conversation to change how it talks to you, e.g. "You are a patient and friendly podcast host who is very good at using not-technical terms.  Please tell me why I should use multi-factor authentication."

Both versions of Copilot are unique from many other generative AI tools in that they guarantee better security and privacy controls.  Data provided to Copilot, either directly or through your documents and email, is kept secure within UP's domain and will not be indexed for any other AI use or otherwise exposed.  Currently this is the only generative AI tool that UP has approved as having this level of data protection.

If you would like to learn more about Copilot and how it is being deployed as an education tool, this Microsoft blog post is a good place to get started.

Q: "Copilot"?  Is this just a UP thing?

No, it’s Microsoft's branding and they didn't check with us on it, but we like it.  If they ever want to collaborate with UP, we're happy to take the call! 

Q: How can I learn more about generative AI?

Below are a few links for resources that have proven useful, but you should also do your own searching for content – technologies are changing rapidly and many people are generating new guides every week, with many targeted at very specific industries and specializations.

• One suggestion to consider is to ask Copilot itself for guidance.  Try a prompt like "I am a freshman theology student who really likes science fiction.  What are some interesting ways I can use Copilot?"
• Henrik Kniberg’s video Generative AI in a Nutshell – how to survive and thrive in the age of AI is a very good overview.
• Microsoft’s guide to Writing AI prompts for educators gets into very practical ways faculty can use AI to design and build courses.  In general, prompt writing is critical to getting the most out of the current generation of AI, though that may change as future generations of the technology evolve.

If you need technical assistance accessing Copilot, please contact the help desk for assistance.  For faculty interested in exploring ways to integrate artificial intelligence into their curriculum, contact the Academic Technology Services and Innovation group or keep your eye out for workshops and discussion groups offered through your school or the Center for Teaching and Learning.