Artificial Intelligence

This guide was created by the Library of RUSH University Medical Center to present information about the use of generative artificial intelligence in scholarship, with a focus on learning, teaching, and research. This resource is aimed at students, faculty, and researchers wishing to publish their work. Most of the information and links are specific to RUSH.

Why do we need this guide?  While generative A.I. tools such as ChatGPT are can be powerful, they must be used with caution. This guide provides a brief introduction to the topic and then addresses practical concerns such as proper citation of A.I.-generated content and publisher expectations.  Official guidelines from RUSH are also included, as are links to various resources.

What exactly is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?  There are many definitions of AI.  In sum, artificial intelligence (AI) is the creation and use of computer systems that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence.  
 
Generative AI refers to a type of artificial intelligence that is designed to create new and original content, such as images, music, or text. It uses complex algorithms and models to generate these creations based on patterns and examples on which it has been trained. Different types of generative AI can be used to create different kinds of content. For example, transformer models such as ChatGPT are used for creating textual output, whereas diffusion models such as DALL-E are used to produce images.  

Other definitions of artificial intelligence:

• IBM states that " Artificial intelligence leverages computers and machines to mimic the problem-solving and decision-making capabilities of the human mind."
• Brittanica defines AI as "The ability of a digital computer or computer-controlled robot to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent beings. The term is frequently applied to the project of developing systems endowed with the intellectual processes characteristic of humans, such as the ability to reason, discover meaning, generalize, or learn from past experience."
• The US Department of State, in the National Artificial Intelligence Act of 2020, declared that “The term ‘artificial intelligence’ means a machine-based system that can, for a given set of human-defined objectives, make predictions, recommendations or decisions influencing real or virtual environments.”