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Generative AI: Home

What is generative AI (GenAI)?

Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence (AI) that uses machine learning algorithms to produce, copy or rework content. This content output can be text, imagery, audio, code or other formats.

Before using GenAI

  1. Check with your lecturer to ensure using GenAI content in assignments is okay (unauthorised use of GenAI is academic misconduct).
  2. If you have the okay from your lecturer to use GenAI, it is still important to ensure that your assessments are your own original work, and any GenAI is correctly acknowledged.
  3. Before you enter any content into a GenAI tool, you need to check the license or terms and conditions to ensure the content can be used with the tool. Some content may be restricted by licenses and copyright protections and cannot be used in GenAI tools.

For more information, refer to the Student Code of Conduct.

Acknowledgement

We thank University of Technology Sydney for allowing some of their guide content to be adapted for use in this guide.

Key considerations when using GenAI

While there are many exciting applications of GenAI tools, there are also some limitations and things to be aware of when using them.

Some key things to keep in mind are:

  • Currency and accuracy. GenAI can produce content that seems realistic and factual; however, the information can be non-factual, inaccurate, outdated and sometimes false. It is important to use your critical thinking skills to evaluate and fact-check all content from GenAI.
  • Academic integrity. You need to acknowledge when you have used information from other sources in your work. This includes content from GenAI tools.
  • Bias and quality. Sometimes content generated by GenAI is generic in nature (as well as potentially false) which may impact the quality of your work. GenAI can also be subject to biases or commercial agendas. Which means you don't get the full perspective on a topic.

For more information on referencing or acknowledging GenAI content, refer to our APA Referencing Guide: Generative AI study guide.