Artificial Intelligence

This guide provides information about using generative AI tools for study and in research in an ethical, responsible and evaluative way.

What is artificial intelligence?

Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the ability of computer systems to perform tasks which normally require human intelligence. It is a very broad field that encompasses theories and developments in computer science, cognitive science, mathematics, philosophy, neuroscience, linguistics and more. There are three main types of AI, including:

Most of us have been using AI in our everyday lives for quite a while. For example, Siri and Google Translate are examples of Artificial Narrow Intelligence, which is AI capable of completing single tasks like checking the weather or finding a video on to play on YouTube. But AI is also being used in more complex and exciting ways within businesses and institutions across the world. Watch this video from Ted-Ed below that provides a quick explanation of how AI works, how AI is currently being used, and possibilities for the future.

Find links below to key reports and publications on the current use of AI and its implications:

The AI Index Report: Measuring Trends in Artificial Intelligence
The AI Index is an independent initiative at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI), led by the AI Index Steering Committee, an interdisciplinary group of experts from across academia and industry. The annual report tracks, collates, distills, and visualises data relating to artificial intelligence, enabling decision-makers to take meaningful action to advance AI responsibly and ethically with humans in mind.
McKinsey Global Survey on AI (2022)
The results of this year’s McKinsey Global Survey on AI show the expansion of the technology’s use since it began tracking five years ago, but with a nuanced picture underneath.
CSIRO Artificial Intelligence for Science Report
A guide to inform research organisations within government, industry and community spheres seeking to develop improved artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities.
PwC's Global Artificial Intelligence Study: Exploiting the AI Revolution
Analyses the economic impact and possibilities of AI for business, including a data visualisation tool that clearly breaks down findings by region and sector.
Artificial Intelligence: How Knowledge is Created, Transferred, and Used
Compiled by Elsevier, this report presents a meticulously constructed and comprehensive guide that explains the terminology and brings a refreshing clarity to the global research picture, including definitions of all fields of AI, and trends in China, Europe and the United States.

Chat GPT and generative AI

Interest in and analysis of generative AI has exploded in the last few months with the arrival of OpenAI's ChatGPT and other generative AI tools like the image generator DALL-E 2. Generative AI is able to generate new data, such as text, images and audio, that is similar to existing data by responding to written prompts provided by the user. Many commentators and experts believe that ChatGPT is a game-changer, especially for learning and research as it has made the possibilities of generative AI accessible en-masse for the first time. Universities and other institutions are therefore working on how to respond to the challenges and opportunities generative AI presents and how it can be used in teaching, learning and research.

See the video below for a quick explainer of how ChatGPT and other generative AI tools operate:

See the links below for resources with information that will help you build your understanding about ChatGPT and other generative AI tools:

ChatGPT General FAQ
ChatGPT's FAQ page provides some basic information about how ChaGPT works, its benefits, limitations and its privacy policy.
Everyone’s having a field day with ChatGPT – but nobody knows how it actually works
Overview of how ChatGPT works from UNSW Professor Toby Walsh
The ChatGPT Prompt Book
Dr Alan D Thompson provides a series of slides exploring how to write basic and advanced prompts for ChatGPT, using a range of everyday circumstances as examples.
What are Generative AI models?
Watch this short video from IBM Technology about how generative AI tools are built.
ChatGPT Decoded - A Comprehensive Overview of Large Language Models
a report from Mantel Group, on ChatGPT and other large language models, how they work, and the implications for a number of sectors, including higher education.
Google Ask a Techspert: What is generative AI?
Interview with Douglas Eck, senior research director at Google, that answers common questions about generative AI, large language models and machine learning.
Sydney Business Insights - resources on generative AI
blog posts and videos from the University of Sydney Business School. Information on how to write prompts and how generative AI works.
AI to Z: all the terms you need to know to keep up in the AI hype age
A glossary of terms associated with generative AI.
One Useful Thing
Blog of Professor Ethan Mollick, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Useful source for research and commentary on latest innovations and news on generative AI tools and what they are capable of producing.