Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI)

Let’s start with the basics. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a field of computer science focused on creating systems capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. These tasks may include problem-solving, language understanding, and interaction.

Generative AI (GenAI) refers to a category of artificial intelligence technologies designed to generate new content, such as text, images, video, audio, or code, that is similar to what a human might produce. This is achieved through algorithms, often based on neural networks, which learn patterns and structures from large datasets (OpenAI, 2024).

The generation of responses includes the following steps:

• Input (Prompt): The GenAI processes the input to “understand” what you are asking.
• Prediction: The GenAI predicts the most appropriate response based on its training on “learned” context and patterns.
• Output: The GenAI generates responses while aiming to provide useful and accurate information.

There are a variety of ethical considerations surrounding AI, including bias, privacy, transparency, and copyright concerns. We encourage you to consider these as you create your AI policy.

If you would like to learn more, please visit the Penn State Library Guide on Generative AI: ChatGPT and Beyond or refer to the additional resources listed on our website.

There are a wide variety of AI authoring tools available. Each is better suited for some tasks than others. It is helpful to explore various tools to become familiar with the differences in affordances. This list curated by Penn State is a good starting place for exploring tools, as is the Penn State Library Guide linked previously.

The only GenAI tool currently approved at Penn State is Microsoft Copilot. Penn State’s Information Technology Learning and Development (ITLD) unit has developed a new Microsoft 365: Copilot Learning Path, a self-paced resource that can help you find answers to the following questions:

• What should I know before using Copilot?
• How can I access Copilot?
• What can Copilot do for me?