Generative AI
What is Generative AI?
Generative AI (GenAI) is an artificial intelligence that generates new content in response to human prompting and instruction. It can create text, images, music, voice, and even video, mimicking human creation with varying levels of quality. Currently, the most well-known tool is ChatGPT, a conversational large language model. It’s been trained on a vast collection of text and data to understand the patterns and structures of human language.
In response to human prompts, tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Microsoft’s CoPilot, Google’s Gemini, and our very own U-M GPT can swiftly produce coherent and convincingly human-like text. These tools are capable of summarizing extensive information, composing essays or basic computer code, translating passages, and even creating poetry and songs. They can serve as research assistants, proofreaders, brainstorming aids, and calculators. However, the outputs may not demonstrate the higher levels of learning needed to succeed in a rigorous college environment. Additionally, it’s also sometimes wrong, and will provide inaccurate information with great confidence.
As we navigate the evolving landscape of Generative AI, we invite the entire campus community—students, faculty, and staff—to explore the uses and impacts of these groundbreaking technologies. Experimentation and hands-on experience help us to understand the strengths, limitations, and ethical considerations of using GenAI in academic and creative endeavors.
Curious about what a ChatGPT response looks like? Review a few examples that show prompts and ChatGPT-generated responses.
Can an AI make an interesting or beautiful image? Take a look.
AI in the Classroom
There are many ways to use generative AI in the classroom. These can vary based on the subject, course topic, and teaching style. We’ve outlined guidelines below that may be helpful as you incorporate generative AI in your courses.
Address AI Tools in Your Syllabus
It is important to communicate with students about the expectations around the usage of ChatGPT and other AI tools in your course. Clear policies should be articulated in your syllabi and course discussions.
Exploring Generative AI Tools
We have provided a broad range of popular AI tools here, however new technologies are introduced daily and we can expect more advanced applications to come. Keep in mind that many AI tools require paid subscriptions to access and will have different terms and conditions on ownership of the content generated and how it can be used.
Note: When using generative AI tools, it is important to avoid entering sensitive information to protect privacy and ensure data security. These tools may not guarantee the confidentiality of the information shared. Please refer to the University of Michigan Safe Computing guidelines for AI tool use.
Teaching Strategies
Aligned with best teaching and learning practices, strategies to engage and assess students beyond recall and superficial understanding are effective pedagogical tools for surpassing tools like ChatGPT. These measures include:
- Implement active, experiential, and project-based learning sequences
- Approach writing as a process, with several check-ins for brainstorming, outlining, drafting, and meaningful revision
- Use authentic group, individual, and self-assessments that promote critical and creative thinking
- Adhere to transparent design principles
- Offer collaborative learning opportunities
- For asynchronous online classes, consider social annotation of readings and small group meetings based on common availability
- Include both collaborative and individual presentations
- Add visual, audio, and design elements to traditionally text-based activities
- For instance, multimedia timelines, concept maps, videos, and websites
- Require students to contextualize information, link written work to their lives, current events, and earlier course concepts, and/or incorporate required readings, case studies, or datasets