Universities Are Adopting Generative AI In Their Work

Generative AI on-the-go

Universities are beginning to use generative AI in their daily operations, but extensive advice is still lacking; some are still waiting for the European Commission to establish EU rules for safe usage.

While artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are becoming increasingly ubiquitous in the scientific community, few institutions have issued their own standards for teaching faculty, researchers, and students on its use. According to a UNESCO assessment of 450 universities and colleges published in June, just around 13% have offered official assistance to their faculty and students.

The requirements imposed by the institutions that were surveyed varied greatly. Only half of the generative AI applications contain clear instructions, while the rest are pro-AI but leave it up to the discretion of individual users. Forty percent of all instructions are given verbally with no written documentation.

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There is a huge chasm here

With 180 million users, ChatGPT alone is poised to revolutionize science and education. Proper application has the potential to free up valuable time for researchers and academics, paving the way for revolutionary discoveries. However, it’s important to plan ahead for adoption to prevent unintended outcomes.

Some schools have implemented new regulations since June. Five criteria for the use of AI in teaching were established by the UK’s Russell Group of research universities. Among these include preparing teachers and students to utilize generative AI in a responsible manner, and modifying curricula and evaluation practices accordingly.

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UNESCO assessment

The Coimbra group, comprised of 41 European universities, will convene a meeting next month to discuss the application of generative AI in the academic setting. The impetus came from a summer meeting during which university research administrators learned that just one of their institutions had begun using generative AI. The rest were quite interested.

In preparation for a discussion on how to handle the use of AI in science as part of the European Research Area (ERA) policy agenda, the European Commission is racing to put up the first guidelines in the next few months.

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