Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Large Language Models, like ChatGPT®, continue to increase in popularity and user effectiveness. AI is revolutionizing research by increasing the speed and efficiency of data analyzing processes, completing predictive modeling, automating tasks, and even encouraging the use of interdisciplinary collaboration. AI’s usage within research has already proven to be extremely beneficial for researchers when utilized effectively. However, some inherent blind spots come with using these tools that may catch many researchers by surprise.

To mitigate potential risks for researchers who use AI, the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Education partnered with the Graduate Student Government Association (Graduate SGA) to develop a guidance document that outlines the effective and responsible use of AI in research, especially for graduate student researchers.

This document is the result of the collaborative efforts of the Office of Research and faculty across campus, specifically those with expertise in AI, ethics, and mentoring graduate students in research. The guidelines presented in the document are recommendations and not Georgia Tech policy. Due to the rapidly changing landscape of AI, these guidelines will continue to evolve. 

Spenser Wipperfurth, vice president of Academic and Research Affairs for the Graduate SGA, leads efforts alongside Graduate SGA leadership to promote awareness of responsible and effective AI usage practices for research.  

“As students and researchers, it’s critical to assess the usability and ethics of new research tools as they are invented,” said Wipperfurth. “The advent of large language models that can write papers, do research, and suggest research paths and solutions, requires our community to ask how to use these tools without abusing them.”

To promote awareness of the known strengths and challenges of using AI, as well as best practices for using generative AI for writing theses or publications, the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Education and Graduate Student Government Association (GSGA) is hosting a panel discussion titled, “Effective and Responsible Use of AI in Research,” on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023, from 9 – 10 a.m.

The Effective and Responsible Use of AI in Research panel will be a critical discussion for graduate researchers who are using or are considering using Generative AI or Large Language Models in their research. Panelists will discuss AI’s drawbacks related to accuracy, research confidentiality, intellectual property rights, and risks related to unintentional scholarly misconduct, as well as constructive ways of using the tool. The panelists are William Ratcliff, director of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Quantitative Biosciences (QBioS) and associate professor in biological science; Laura Carruth, associate vice provost for Transformative Teaching and Learning and executive director of Center for Teaching and Learning; Jason Borenstein, director of the Graduate Research Ethics Programs, School of Public Policy, and Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Education; and Larry Heck, co-executive director of the Artificial Intelligence Hub, and professor with a joint appointment in electrical and computer engineering and interactive computing. The panel is moderated by GSGA’s President J. Haden Boone.