What do we mean by GenAI?

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools are software programs built on vast amounts of data. When prompted, these tools generate text, video, audio, and other content based on the information they are trained on. Some examples include ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, Claude, Perplexity, etc.

Our position on GenAI

Continuing Education recognizes that the use of GenAI has widespread implications on how we learn and study. However, it is important that we are "AI-literate" in how, when, and where we choose to use these tools. As GenAI is increasingly used in our day-to-day lives, we want you to feel prepared to use it in a beneficial and ethical manner.

Student Use

In Continuing Education courses, GenAI tools should be used to support your work, and not to replace your own thinking and learning.

Using GenAI Tools

As a first step, please check your course outline and review your instructor's policy on GenAI usage. They may choose to disallow its use in certain assignments or contexts. If you have any concerns, please first raise them to your instructor before using GenAI in your work. Using such tools when expressly forbidden may constitute academic misconduct.

When allowed, here are some ways in which you might use GenAI as a thinking assistant in support of your work:

  • Generate an outline for your task
  • Prompt the GenAI tool to provide different perspectives on the topic

  • GenAI models can summarize large amounts of information and identify themes, patterns, and topics

  • Check the accuracy of the output you receive
  • Practice evaluating arguments in the content generated
  • Prompt the tool to generate alternate arguments to test the strength of the claims you're presenting

  • Use tools to chunk your study information into bite-sized pieces
  • Ask for the content to be turned into quizzes to test your knowledge

  • Use the tool as an assistant to break down larger tasks
  • Prompt generators will also offer options after the initial output for next steps
  • AI models can work as an editor or proofreader

Risks and Limitations of GenAI: Things to Keep in Mind

The data used to train AI models is information that already exists. GenAI is not capable of creating entirely new content. So, it's important to keep in mind that you should:

  • Always check the output for accuracy and errors
  • Avoid uploading materials to AI tools when someone else may own the copyright
  • Not submit entirely AI-generated work as your own

Here's some more information about the risks and limitations of GenAI.

  • GenAI is known to "hallucinate" when creating its content, resulting in inaccurate summaries or using references that don't exist. Always double check your output.

  • GenAI models can summarize and synthesize information. However, they are not able to think autonomously, develop new solutions, or handle data in an evaluative manner. It's up to you to make inferences from the output.

  • If the data set that the AI model was trained on has a bias of some sort, then the output will likely include that bias.
  • AI models can only generate responses based on information and datasets it has already "seen." This means that the information is likely biased towards a Western perspective, and towards populations that have the resources available to generate and report data.

  • The GenAI models may use information you paste into them to train themselves further. So, it's important for you to be careful about what work you put in these models — whether your own or that of others.

  • Do not upload materials to GenAI tools without the permission of the copyright holder. If you don't have clear permission or you don't know who might own the copyright, don't upload it.

  • Given the nature of how GenAI tools are trained, submitting AI-generated output as your own work likely constitutes plagiarism and this may violate academic integrity.

A word on Academic Integrity

As an academic institution, Continuing Education is committed to an ethical interaction with the usage and outputs of GenAI. This pertains to the core value of academic integrity at the University of Calgary within the institutional academic misconduct policy, which states:

"Academic Misconduct" means any Student behaviour which compromises proper assessment of a Student's Academic Activities and includes:

  1. Cheating;
  2. Fabrication;
  3. Falsification;
  4. Plagiarism;
  5. Unauthorized Assistance;
  6. failure to comply with an Instructor's expectations regarding conduct required of students completing academic assessments in their courses

In all of these instances, improper use of generative artificial intelligence tools may constitute Academic Misconduct.

See our guidance on academic integrity.

Cite your use of AI tools

When permitted, any use of AI must be transparently disclosed in accordance with the instructions provided. Failure to disclose AI use when required may constitute academic misconduct.

Most AI chat tools, including ChatGPT, provide a sharing option that generates a unique URL and a title for each conversation. When citation is required, this information can be used to create a reference following APA Style guidelines, using the standard author-date-title-source format.

Please refer to Writing Support for specific citation guidelines.

Students should consult the most current APA Style guidance and follow any additional instructions provided by their instructor.

Students are responsible for understanding and following the specific expectations outlined in their course outline and assignment instructions.

Remember

  • Continuing Education does not ban the use of AI but encourages you to use it in an AI-literate and ethical manner.
  • Check with your instructors about where, when, and how you may use GenAI in your course. Also, check their requirements for disclosing AI use.
  • When using GenAI, double check the output for accuracy, bias, and hallucinations.
  • Use GenAI as a supporting assistant.
  • Don't submit AI-generated content as your entire assignment.
  • Be mindful of the risks and limitations of AI use, especially where it concerns copyright and plagiarism.

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