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AI for Research

What is AI?

There is no agreed-upon definition of artificial intelligence (AI), but generally, what we mean by AI is "getting machines to do things that require cognitive functions such as thinking, learning, and problem-solving when done in intelligent beings such as humans" (Liao, 2020).

What we currently think of as AI is acutally only a specific type of AI: generative AI.

What are LLMs?

Large language models (LLMs) are a type of generative AI that use natural language to create new content. LLMs are a type of "machine-learning system that autonomously learns from data and can produce sophisticated and seemingly intelligent writing after training on a massive data set of text" (van Dis et al., 2023). Commonly used LLMs include OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google's Gemini, and Microsoft's Co-Pilot.

Bibliography

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Chubb, J., Cowling, P., & Reed, D. (2022). Speeding up to keep up: Exploring the use of AI in the research process. AI & Society, 37(4), 1439–1457. https://10.1007/s00146-021-01259-0

Floridi, L. (2023). AI as agency without intelligence: On ChatGPT, large language models, and other generative models. Philosophy & Technology, 36(1), 15. https://rg/10.1007/s13347-023-00621-y

Hervieux, S., & Wheatey, A. (2023, March 11). The ROBOT test [evaluation tool]. https://thelibrairy.wordpress.com/2020/03/11/the-robot-test/

Liao, S. M. (2020). Ethics of artificial intelligence (1st ed.). Oxford University Press.

Lo, L. S. (2023). The CLEAR path: A framework for enhancing information literacy through prompt engineering. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 49(4), 102720. https://rg/10.1016/j.acalib.2023.102720

McAdoo, T. (2023, April 7). How to cite ChatGPT. APA Style. Retrieved Jan 22, 2025, from https://apastyle.apa.org/blog/how-to-cite-chatgpt

Ortiz, S. (2024, April 23). What is generative AI and why is it so popular? here's everything you need to know. ZDNET. Retrieved Jan 21, 2025, from https://www.zdnet.com/article/what-is-generative-ai-and-why-is-it-so-popular-heres-everything-you-need-to-know/

Stokel-Walker, C., & Van Noorden, R. (2023). The promise and perils of generative AI. Nature (London), 614(7947), 214–216. https://10.1038/d41586-023-00340-6

van Dis, E. A. M., Bollen, J., Zuidema, W., van Rooij, R., & Bockting, C. L. (2023). ChatGPT: Five priorities for research. Nature (London), 614(7947), 224–226. https://10.1038/d41586-023-00288-7