Artificial Intelligence
What is Artifical Intelligence?
Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the simulation of human intelligence and awareness in machines that are programmed to think, judge, respond, and mimic humans and their actions (Frakenfield, 2022). It is commonly used by people to describe any piece of technology that mimics human learning and problem-solving skills.
Artificial intelligence is used across all industries and academic subjects. The term is used to describe everything from finding the best route on Apple and Google Maps, self-driving cars, algorithms to display a list in a certain order on a website or in a social media app, and facial recognition software to unlock a smart phone. It is part of our everyday lives, at work, in school and at home.
How to Use this Guide
This guide has been created for students and instructors to explore how to responsibly and ethically use AI in their work. There is information about how to critically engage with AI tools, examples and further reading on how students and instructors can use AI tools in their work, and information about current AI news, such as ChatGPT.
As Eaton and Anselmo (2023) described, “If we think of artificial intelligence apps as another tool that students can use to ethically demonstrate their knowledge and learning, then we can emphasize learning as a process not a product.”
Background Information Links
These links are to resources that include background information, such as information about the companies that own popular AI tools, definitions of terms that are often spoken about alongside AI, and basic information on how to use generalised AI tools.
- A.I. Is Mastering Language. Should We Trust What It Says?An article from the New York Times Magazine with an overview of large language models (LLMs) and the history of OpenAI, the company behind Chat GPT-4 and DALL·E 2 (an Art AI tool).
- AI & AI: Exploring the contemporary intersections of artificial intelligence and academic integrityA presentation reviewing the issues emerging from the use of artificial intelligence technologies in academic integrity.
- AI Biases: Are We Ready to Be Stereotyped by Robots?This article looks at the history of bias in AI and suggestions on how to fix it.
- AI DefinitionsMcGill University Libraries created a list of definitions on many of the terms that are mentioned alongside AI.
- Artificial Intelligence Has a Problem With Gender and Racial Bias. Here’s How to Solve It.One of the issues with AI is the implicit biases of the people who create them
- The Dawn of AI has Come, and its Implications for Education Couldn’t Be More SignificantAn article from The Conversation on the future of teaching and learning alongside artificial intelligence.
- Glossary of Artificial Intelligence Terms for Educators"This glossary was written for educators to reference when hearing and learning about artificial intelligence (AI)."
- A Pragmatic Guide to Conversational AIAn Ecampus Ontario open pressbook intended to be a pragmatic guide to helping able citizen data scientists to utilize common frameworks and tools to create conversational artificial intelligence experiences for users.
CC Attribution License
This Artificial Intelligence Guide by Bronte Chiang is licensed under a Creative Common Attribution 4.0 International License.
Please email us at bronte.chiang@ucalgary.ca if you have used or adapted this guide at your institution.