Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the development of computer systems capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. AI has recently been in the news due to advances in Generative AI, such as ChatGPT. These tasks can include problem-solving, learning, reasoning, understanding natural language, recognizing patterns, and even decision-making. Presently, AI is not the replication of full human consciousness as shown in Science Fiction as the name might imply. AI is built upon algorithms and data, enabling machines to process information, identify patterns, and adapt over time. AI has a wide range of use cases, including language translation, video games, and much more. Below are some resources to get you started on learning more about AI as well as it's usages in education and at Randolph College.
(Video by Common Sense Education)
MIT based resources for learning more about AI and it's educational uses.
The University of California Riverside discusses different ways you can incorporate AI into your classroom
McGill based scientist discusses the common signs of AI generated works.
Resources from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers which discusses the history of AI and it's use cases.
State of Virginia official website which has a FAQ about AI from a Business and usage perspective.
Current standards for the use of Generative AI at Randolph College may be found here: https://www.randolphcollege.edu/policies/wp-content/uploads/sites/117/Generative-AI-2024-12-02.pdf
Where does AI get its information from?
Artificial intelligence gets its information from a variety of sources. Most commercially available tools will use large training sets of data. The training set data will be pulled from websites, books, art images, metadata, and research and news articles. The specifics of the training sets depend on the tool and are typically proprietary knowledge. The training sets can come from both private and public sources of information. Those tools will then use machine learning techniques to process the data sets and create text or images from them to answer prompts or relate different data sets to one another. For more information on where AI gets its information from, check the resources on the side of the guide.
How does ChatGPT work?
ChatGPT stands for Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer. ChatGPT was trained using an algorithm to analyze patterns from very large datasets. ChatGPT then uses those patterns it has identified to generate text that comes off as intelligible. Using a Machine Learning technique known as Natural Language Processing, ChatGPT is able to take your prompt and generate text in response to it. Tools like ChatGPT may have a knowledge cutoff where new information is not added to them after a certain date.
What is the current legal status of AI and AI generated works?
There is much debate about the use of AI tools and their potential reliance on copyrightable material for their training sets. Copyright law is governed by the federal government and it's associated offices; refer to the Copyright Office for the most up-to-date information. What rights individuals, artists, scholars, and individuals have in AI related cases is a conversation currently being held in legislative bodies around the world. Concerns have been raised about the use of AI 'deepfakes' videos and pictures in elections and people's personal lives. For current information on the legal and legislative battles surrounding AI, use a tracker such as the legislation tracker held by an AI company, multistate.ai, that tracks that information for other AI companies to use.
