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Student Guide to ChatGPT & other AI Tools

Learn about using and researching AI tools like ChatGPT.

What is ChatGPT good for and not for?

ChatGPT is an "artificial intelligence" "language model," similar to a chatbot, but more robust.

ChatGPT is not a search engine where you are given results to a specific search, but instead, it creates “new content” by predicting the word most likely to come next (e.g., based on publicly available Internet sites as of 2022).

Language Learning Models (LLMs), like ChatGPT, are designed to model human language. They use mathematical models to predict what the next word is most likely to be based on what you are asking for.

Keep in mind: they don't think. They don't understand, read, choose or give you the "best information." Sometimes it might feel or seem like it, but this isn't how the technology works. That said, they also won't tell you where they got the information they're pulling from, and who is doing the work behind the scenes. Many, if not most, are unregulated and influenced by how we all interact with it. 

At CSUSB, faculty have discretion over whether and how students can use Generative AI in their courses. According to FAM 803.5, faculty can encourage AI use, permit AI use only in specific situations, or prohibit use altogether. We recommend that you consult your instructor's syllabus statement and/or talk with your instructor to understand when you may use AI tools in a specific course. Unauthorized use of AI tools can be considered a violation of academic integrity, as submitting work generated by AI tools as your own is a form of plagiarism. For thesis, projects, and dissertations, written approval from your supervisor and supervisory committee is required if you plan to use any AI tools.

What is it good for?

  • Brainstorming ideas
  • Narrowing your topic ideas for a research paper, and keywords for searching in library databases.
    See Generate Topics for Your Research Paper with ChatGPT.
  • Explaining information in ways that are easy to understand
  • Summarizing and outlining
  • Asking questions (be sure to fact check the results). You can ask many, many questions without fear of being judged.
  • Translating text to different languages (not completely fluent in every language)
  • Helping write or debug computing code
  • It can be useful for  summarizing web search results. Use any of the models below. When you use these, be sure to visit the linked web pages themselves, rather than only reading the summaries. 

What is it not so good for?

  • Library research (not yet). For now, it's best to use Library search, Library databases, or Google Scholar. 

    You may also want to try one of these tools that combine generative AI with academic searching, in order to summarize and find more sources with semantic searching. These tools aren't as complete as library research databases or Google Scholar, but they can help you find additional resources.
     
  • It's not good for any information that would have dire consequences if it was incorrect (such as health, financial, legal advice, and so on). This is because of its tendency to sometimes make up answers, but still sound very confident.

How does ChatGPT work?

ChatGPT and other LLMs continue to evolve.

One main way users interact with ChatGPT is to ask it a question, or give it a prompt and receive a quick answer.

How do they work? 
Unlike a search engine, which searches and then gives results using information already created -- Large Language Models (LLMs) are making "new" content predicting the word most likely to come next (e.g. based on HUGE dataset -- publicly available Internet sites (which includes racist, conspiracy sites, etc.) as of ~2022). They are designed to model human language and use mathematical models to predict what the next word is most likely to be based on what you you are asking for. Keep in mind -- they don't think. They do NOT understand, read, choose or give you the "best information." Sometimes it might feel or seem like it but it is but this isn't how the technology works. 

Challenges and possibilities of ChatGPT

Challenges of using ChatGPT or other LLMs 

  • There is a mix of correct and incorrect information
  • Has limited knowledge of the world after 2020 (WHOA! Things have happened since then, right?)
  • Likelihood of biased content is high - especially for controversial topics.
  • Privacy concerns -- what is the company doing with the data it collects from users?
  • Beware of asking for any information that would have big consequences if it was incorrect (such as health, financial, legal advice, and so on). It has a tendency to make up answers or give a mix of correct and incorrect information, but still sound very confident.

Benefits of using ChatGPT or other LLMs 

  • Can provide simple explanations to well known, non-controversial topics
  • Can provide sample text
  • Can create a list of keywords, search terms
  • Explaining information in ways that are easy to understand
  • Helping write or debug computing code
  • Summarizing and outlining texts

What are Prompts? Prompt engineering? 

Prompts are the things you write into the tool to try to get it to do what you want. Better prompts can help you to try to get better outputs. These tools need very specific instructions, and they need you to verify/critically evaluate the information or output they give you. Learn more about prompts or take a course like Prompt Engineering for Chat GPT.