Adler University Library: AI for Research: What is AI?

This guide was developed to teach students, staff, and faculty about the role of AI in research. In order to effectively use AI tools, we need to fundamentally understand what they are, how they work, and the ethical issues that surround them.

What is AI?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) does not yet have one scientifically agreed upon definition. Generally, AI refers to a tool or model that can perform a task previously only done by humans, including learning and problem solving.

There are lot of different types of AI tools, but the one we are most concerned with at this time, is a specific kind of AI called Generative AI. Generative AI generates new data based on prompts.

What is AI Literacy?

AI Literacy refers to the skillset and knowledge to effectively interact with AI tools in an ethical and responsible way. Critical AI literacy involves an analysis of the cultural and social implication of AI.

Bibliography

Alberth. (2023). The use of chatgpt in academic writing: A blessing or a curse in disguise? TEFLIN Journal, 34(2), 337–352. https://rg/10.15639/teflinjournal.v34i2/337-352.

Chen, Z. (2023). Ethics and discrimination in artificial intelligence-enabled recruitment practices. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 10(1), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-02079-x.

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/

Li, P., Yang, J., Islam, M. A., & Ren, S. (2023). Making AI less "thirsty": Uncovering and addressing the secret water footprint of AI models. arXiv preprint. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2304.03271.

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