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Basics of ChatGPT

Uses of ChatGPT

Shortcomings of ChatGPT

More on ChatGPT

ChatGPT: An AI Tool Meant to Assist Individuals with Writing

A logo for ChatGPT
Joharder, A. (2024). ChatGPT: A Top AI App. [Photograph].Google Images.

What is ChatGPT?

ChatGPT understands and generates humanlike text, so it is useful for tasks such as generating content, answering questions, engaging in conversations and providing explanations.

How can I use ChatGPT?

ChatGPT has many uses, including:

  • Content creation: ChatGPT can generate content, write essays, and create poems.
  • Language translation: ChatGPT can translate languages.
  • Writing assistance: ChatGPT can write computer code, Excel formulas, and multiple choice questions.
  • Summarizing: ChatGPT can summarize text, reports, or research.

Watch the following video to learn more about the uses and applications of ChatGPT:

Why should I take care when using ChatGPT?

While generative AI tools like ChatGPT can help users with such tasks as brainstorming for new ideas, organizing existing information, mapping out scholarly discussions, or summarizing sources, the outputs they provide are not always entirely factual or grounded in the best research strategies. To the contrary, ChatGPT has been known to hallucinate, or "describe false information created by the AI system to defend its statements." Oftentimes, ChatGPT will generate outputs without qualifying the accuracy of the information it provides, and it has been known to confidently provide responses to queries that nonetheless consist of partially or fully fabricated citations or facts.

The use of generative AI tools like ChatGPT in academia has also raised many concerns about academic integrity and the respect of intellectual property. One area of academic integrity affected by generative AI tools like ChatGPT is that of plagiarism.

Plagiarism is typically defined as taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own. While ChatGPT is not considered to be an author in the traditional sense of the word, the act of using the outputs of ChatGPT or any other AI tool in one's own work without giving it proper credit in the form of a citation is still regarded to be plagiarism because the work is still not one's own. While different professors may have different policies on what constitutes acceptable use of generative AI tools, it is nonetheless important for every student to consult the syllabi for all their classes so that it is clear to them as to when it is expected that they cite the outputs of AI.

Where can I find more information about ChatGPT

For more information on ChatGPT, please refer to the FAQ page for this generative AI tool.

References

Georgetown University Library. (2024, November 21). Artificial intelligence (generative) resources: Ethics in AI. Click this link to view this resource

Last updated December 4, 2024

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