There are many AI tools available that can support your studies in various ways, such as brainstorming ideas, searching for information, drafting text, clarifying concepts, providing feedback, or improving grammar and language. When used thoughtfully and responsibly, these tools can help deepen your understanding of a subject and enhance your learning. However, be aware that the responses generated by AI tools are not always reliable. You are ultimately responsible for the content and wording of your assignments. Also, keep in mind that if you rely too heavily on AI tools, you risk missing out on important aspects of your learning and the knowledge you will need in your professional life.

The rules for using AI tools may vary between courses and programs. Always check what is permitted in your specific course. If you are unsure, ask your teacher whether AI tools are allowed for a particular assignment and explain how you intend to use them.

Use AI Tools Responsibly

Depending on how you use an AI tool, there are several important considerations:

Data Security

If you upload your text to an AI tool, you may be granting the company the right to use your content to train its models. In some cases, the terms of use may even stipulate that you give up ownership of your text. Be especially cautious if your material contains personal data or sensitive information that you are not authorised to share.

Most published texts are also protected by copyright law, which means you cannot legally distribute them without permission. Always double-check before uploading any material to an AI service to ensure you have the right to do so.

Microsoft Copilot

As a student at JU, you have access to Microsoft Copilot, an AI service similar to ChatGPT. When you log in with your student account, your chat history is not saved, and any uploaded data is encrypted and securely transmitted to Microsoft’s servers.

However, you must not share personal data, sensitive information, or confidential material when using such services.

You can read more about Microsoft Copilot here.

Evaluating Information

AI-generated responses may sound convincing, but it is important to remember that AI does not truly understand your subject. It generates text based on patterns in large datasets, predicting the most likely next word rather than reasoning like a human.

Even if the AI provides sources, you must always verify them. Check facts, figures, quotes, and references against credible sources to ensure accuracy. Please note that the AI may not be trained on the latest research and may therefore not provide up-to-date information.

Refine Your Prompts

Refine your prompt and ask follow-up questions to help the AI tool better understand your query and provide a more accurate or nuanced response.

Revise

After receiving a response, evaluate which parts are useful. Some content may be irrelevant or incorrect, while other parts might offer inspiration or highlight perspectives worth exploring further. You must never submit AI-generated text as your own work.

Take Responsibility

You are always responsible for anything you create using AI. Be transparent about how you have used the tool. You can, for example, include an appendix at the end of your assignment listing the tools you used and for what purpose (e.g., idea generation, text structuring, illustrations, grammar, and spell-checking). Depending on the assignment, you may also need to include the prompts you used and explain how you handled the AI’s suggestions. If you are unsure, check with your teacher what to include.

Sustainability Considerations

Using AI tools, especially for generating images or processing large volumes of text, is energy-intensive. Consider whether it is necessary before uploading large datasets or requesting image or figure generation.

Translating texts

If you have another mother tongue, it can be tempting to use an online translation tool at the beginning of your studies, before you get used to reading academic texts in English and have learned the technical terms in your field. However, there are several things you need to keep in mind if you do:

You are expected to learn to read and use academic texts in English.
The translation of the tools may be flawed, and important nuances in the text may be lost in the translation.
Important words and technical terms can be translated incorrectly and change the meaning.
You must never copy the translated text and use it as if it were your own report.

Instead, it's recommended to have a dictionary at hand when reading foreign texts.

Test your knowledge

What do you know about using AI tools wisely?

Proceed to the self-assessment test