Generative Artificial Intelligence

The launch of tools like ChatGPT, DALL-E, Claude.ai, and Ollama has brought generative AI to the public. In course work, we have seen a marked increase in the use of these tools to generate text, images, and even code. While this tool can be quite powerful, we should understand the limitations and potential risks of using these tools.

An AI Policy

As we navigate the use of generative AI in courses, we must design a policy that focuses on the use of these tools for the purpose of learning. Our tools should deepen our understanding of the subject, extend our abilities to investigate and create, and provide a reproducible and transparent process.

It is very easy to circumvent those goals with generative AI.

However, we also note that a policy that we design for our courses must be designed in community. Otherwise, we risk creating a policy that is not useful or enforceable. We must all agree on the basic tenets of the policy and work together to enforce it. To that end, we provide the following information to inform the development of a policy.

Take 30 minutes to educate yourself on the risks and benefits of generative AI.

Below, are several resources for you to draw from. We have indicated which ones are important to review/skim.

Resources

Readings

• The Manifesto for Teaching and Learning in a Time of Generative AI: A Critical Collective Stance to Better Navigate the Future <- Important, but long

  • A large review of the risks and benefits of generative AI in education from a large group of educators.

• Open AI’s guide to using ChaTGPT in classes <- Short

  • OpenAI wrote a short guide for educators on how to use ChatGPT in the classroom.

• Commonsense.org Guidelines <- Important

  • A more detailed guide on how to use ChatGPT in the classroom.

• Racial Justice Amidst the Dangers of Computing Creep: A Dialogue

  • A paper written by my colleagues and collaborators, Niral Shah and Aman Yadav, on the dangers of generative AI in the classroom.

• Excuse me, Is There AI in That?

  • An article from Brian Merchant on generative AI and where it is being used.

Podcasts

• Implementing AI in K12 Education

  • A podcast that takes a positive view of AI in the classroom.

• Generative AI is an climate disaster <- Important

  • A podcast indicating the environmental impact of generative AI.

• Data Vampires - Episode 1 of a 4 part series

  • A podcast series on the dangers of AI in general and the capitalist forces that drive it.

Videos

Run a local LLM

• Still want to use AI and be safe? Run a local version. Dave’s Garage shows how to set it up. This is similar to the system I use myself.

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