Home » The FMC is Your Home for Artificial Intelligence The FMC is Your Home for Artificial Intelligence What is Generative AI? Note: Content on this page was created and/or edited using the assistance of various Generative AI and AI tools. Artificial Intelligence, or AI, (a subfield of Machine Learning), is a field of computer science focused on creating computer programs, which can imitate human intelligence. These tools open new possibilities for teaching, research, and innovation at the university. While the technical details of how AI tools work are complex, the basics of their development and function are easy to understand. At their hearts, AI tools are simply algorithms which replicate patterns. By observing large amounts of data, the algorithm is able to determine which abstract patterns frequently occur in that sort of data, and therefore is able to replicate and combine those patterns. When you interact with an AI tool, you provide it a question or request in natural language called a prompt and the tool provides an output. Your prompt can be anything you like, and changes to your prompt will change the output you receive. It’s important to consider the context and content of your work to decide if using AI-generated content is appropriate. AI tools are excellent for brainstorming and can help overcome “blank page syndrome” by generating outlines, plans, and first drafts. However, most AI-generated content requires some human intervention, such as using Photoshop to correct text in an image or proofreading and updating a generated email before sending it. Any content created with or by generative AI tools should be reviewed by a knowledgeable human before publishing or use. For a list of popular and currently available tools at UCF, visit our Recommended AI Tools Page. UCF faculty and staff can self-enroll in the Generative AI for Teaching and Learning course now! MidJourney. Prompt: a visual illustrative representation of machine learning, black and gold, brain, neural networks –no person, people What Artificial Intelligence is and is not The conversation around generative AI tools has created some misconceptions, and it’s important to be accurate and clear about what they are and are not. AI Tools Are: Based on large datasets: Most generative AI tools are trained on datasets of millions or billions of examples, such as webpages, books, images, or music. Pattern & form reproducers: Generative AI tools “learn” what common forms and patterns occur in a specific type of data, like oil paintings or professional emails, and then create new content that follows those patterns. Capable of understanding natural language: Unlike previous algorithmic tools which required programmatic language, generative AI tools can be interacted with using natural language. For example, you could ask an AI chatbot “Help me come up with a poem to go into a greeting card for my dad’s birthday,” and the question would be understood. Context-Aware: Generative AI tools are generally context aware and can respond to follow up questions. For example, if you wanted to change the above to a graduation card, you could simply say “actually, change that to a graduation card” and the tool will understand your request in context of the conversation. AI Tools Are Not: Truly Intelligent: While Artificial Intelligence is the popular term, AI tools do not have true understanding. For example, AI Image Generation tools struggle to represent text. While a human sees text and understands it as having meaning, an AI image generator only sees shapes, and will create non-existent letters that somewhat resemble real ones, in an attempt to create similar shapes. Evil: While the discussion around generative AI tools is highly charged and controversial, AI tools are simply that – tools. They are imperfect—there are areas in which they can be improved and it’s important to use them wisely, but like previous technical advancements, they are merely new ways for computers to assist us in a growing and changing technological landscape. Artificial Intelligence For… AI For Faculty As a faculty member, there are many ways generative AI tools can assist you in your work, some of which may be unexpected! Research Tools AI powered research tools allow you to ask natural language questions and search the internet and academic databases for relevant content. They then provide a summary of the information, along with citations of sources, allowing them to be checked for accuracy and directly cited in any material written using those sources. These tools are especially useful for locating sources on niche topics which may be difficult to research. Some AI research tools which are available are Perplexity, Consensus, and Scholarcy. Image Generation Tools AI image generation tools are useful for creating visual content for courses, emails, presentations, reports, and more. A good rule of thumb for where it’s appropriate to use AI generated images is to consider if you would be comfortable using a stock image in that location. A location where you might have previously used a stock image is often a place where it is safe to use an AI generated image. Locations where you would not feel comfortable using a stock image, particularly when representing a real person, historical figure, or event, and other sources where accuracy is important, are generally places where it is not appropriate to use an AI generated image. MidJourney. Prompt: A photo of a robot painting a watercolor landscape painting in a field Curriculum And Course Creation Generative AI tools can save you time and effort in creating curriculum and course content such as lesson plans, syllabi, and assignment ideas. While it’s best to make adjustments to AI generated content before use, working with an AI tool can give you a good starting point. It’s often much faster and easier to edit or refactor existing content than starting from zero. This is a rapidly growing area of generative AI and UCF is involved in pilot programs and tool creation. Expect to hear more from us on this area in the near future. Students and AI Detectors Generative AI tools are now included in many operating systems, and preventing students from using AI tools entirely will be impossible. Students will use generative AI tools in some capacity in their future careers, and will be better served being taught how, and how not, to usefully and ethically utilize these tools, rather than by being banned from using them all together. The currently advised best practice is to find ways to work with your students to utilize generative AI tools in practical, realistic, and honest ways. Depending on the subject, this will likely mean utilizing these tools to assist with tasks like brainstorming, researching, and proofreading. MidJourney. Prompt: a logo representing “unreliable AI detection tool” Many tools claim to detect AI-generated text, but they are often unreliable. They struggle to accurately identify AI-generated content, and paraphrasing can often bypass these tools. Although false positives (misidentifying human-written text as AI-generated) are less common, they can still happen, particularly with texts from non-native English speakers.Some tools are working to reduce this bias, but it remains a concern. While no official University policy exists, AI detection tools are generally considered not appropriate for use in most settings, due to the high importance of accuracy when detecting potential dishonesty. An incorrect response from an AI detection tool, especially a false positive, can be detrimental to student outcomes. With this in mind, it’s recommended to us more effective strategies to overcome inappropriate AI usage. In general, consider the real risks or values of AI use for assignments, while applying a realistic perspective on the availability of these tools to your students in their future careers, before deciding how to proceed. Assignments which actively encourage students to use AI tools in appropriate and helpful ways can help students become more aware of both AI tools’ strengths and their limitations. For example, students seeking to write texts on specific subjects including particular citations may find that the AI tool hallucinates and its output is not accurate or germane. For assessments which should not involve any AI usage, use of authentic assessments which require students to apply their knowledge in realistic and live scenarios, are the preferred method. Any AI policy which you choose to adopt should be clearly communicated in your syllabus. FCTL has a list of syllabus statements available for you to copy to include in your syllabus depending on your personal choice of AI policy. It is important to be aware that, like all other tools, regardless of the policy enacted, students will use AI tools to some extent or other. AI for Students Generative AI tools have many uses which will allow you to maintain your authorship and academic integrity. AI tools can be helpful to you in parts of the writing and creation process which would have previously used Google or other search engines, or assistance from others such as proofreading or review. Research Tools Many AI research tools exist which can assist you in researching and gathering resources. Tools like Perplexity and Consensus can assist with locating sources for questions posed in natural language, making it easier to find answers to niche and specific questions. Research tools can also help you to summarize and break down long and complex papers and articles, making it easier to locate information that’s relevant to your study. Brainstorming AI tools are particularly useful for brainstorming and idea development. When you’re stuck coming up with ideas for a project, assignment, or paper, you can provide your existing ideas and guidelines to an AI tool, like CoPilot, and ask it for expansions, further ideas, or directions on where to begin. Much like working with a human study or brainstorming partner, you may not like or want to use the ideas the AI tool generates exactly as they’re presented – but often they’ll set off something in your mind, giving you inspiration and direction to expand on. MidJourney. Prompt: a medieval knight brainstorming, with a stormcloud floating over her head with gold networks through it Proofreading AI tools can be excellent reviewers of your work. Tools like Grammarly pro can locate misspellings, double words, and other similar errors, while more general AI tools like ChatGPT and CoPilot can provide a broader review of your writing, such as helping to determine tone and clarity. Accuracy and Ethics While there are many ways to leverage AI tools as study partners and assistants, it’s important to be smart and honest about how you use them. Generative AI tools can “hallucinate,” meaning they make claims and statements that aren’t true when asked factual questions. It’s important to review, check, and confirm any information provided to you by an AI. This is easiest to do with tools like CoPilot and Perplexity, which provide citations for the information they provide, making it easy to review the original sources of their information. Whether you’re allowed to use generative AI, and in what ways, in a particular class or assignment is up to your professor. They have the final say on the permissibility of AI use in any particular case. Be sure to check your syllabus and assignment instructions for guidance on allowable AI usage in your specific courses. AI for Staff Generative AI tools can assist you in your daily tasks as a staff member in countless ways. AI tools are especially capable for simplifying and easing daily work and productivity tasks like writing emails, reviewing documents, creating PowerPoints, and taking meeting notes. Meeting Summaries AI tools make it easy to summarize and review the content of meetings and determine action items. AI meeting note takers can deliver a written summary to your email or in the meeting chat itself of what was discussed in the meeting and what steps are required. Productivity Tasks Many basic productivity tasks can be simplified using generative AI tools. There are AI tools which will create presentation slides based on existing text and meeting notes, create excel sheets from text prompts, and write emails within specific parameters. As with all AI generated output, these should be reviewed for completeness and accuracy, but these outputs can still save you large amounts of time by giving you a place to begin. Images and Graphics AI image generation tools can help you create quick graphics or images for emails or Powerpoint slides. If you need a quick background for a slide or graphic for a presentation or a visual example for a design concept, AI image generators can help create the mood and aesthetic you desire. Data Analysis AI tools can be extremely helpful in analyzing large amounts of data, especially if you have many documents to read and understand in a short amount of time. Tools which allow file upload can help save time in understanding and summarizing long and complex documents, tables and spreadsheets, and sometimes even help you extract and manipulate data. Your Place to Play with Artificial Intelligence The FMC is here to help you with all your AI questions and curiosities. We offer workshops on AI to help you get started, and our dedicated AI playground computer is here for you to play and experiment with new tools so you can determine how they can be helpful to you. Visit our FMC Recommended AI Tools Page to view a list of popular tools. Our AI Playground Our dedicated AI Playground computer is pre-loaded with access to many different AI tools, allowing you to test out new tools with guidance and help from our friendly and knowledgeable staff. We’re happy to work with you and help you learn how you can leverage generative AI tools in your work! Schedule a General Appointment at the FMC and let us know that you’d like to try our AI Playground in the appointment details. Microsoft CoPilot. Prompt: An AI playground with typical playground elements, futuristic colors, and digital symbols floating in the air The FMC’s AI Workshops We offer frequent AI workshops to help you get started using and understanding AI. We’ll give you all the tools and information you need to feel comfortable and confident exploring the endless possibilities and adventures of generative AI! Check out the FMC’s upcoming workshop schedule to register. If you’d like to sign up for a workshop that appears to have no available spaces, email us at fmc@ucf.edu and we’ll be happy to manually sign you up.
