Skip to Main Content

Artificial Intelligence

This guide is dedicated to the concept of Artificial Intelligence: what it is, how it works, debates and discussion, and potential uses in the disciplines.

What is Artificial Intelligence?

AI generated image of human head.

[AI generated image]

Oxford Reference defines artificial intelligence as "The theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks normally requiring human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages."

Artificial Intelligence (AI) alternately may refer to a subject of study, a scientific discipline, a tool, or competition for human endeavors.

 AI encompasses a number of areas: communications, learning, reasoning, understanding, vision, and robotics.

Drawbacks of AI currently include a lack of explainability (behaving as a black‐box model) and a number of ethical issues.

Terminology:

  • AI prompt engineer: Intermediary that writes text-based prompts to optimize desired outputs for users.
  • Artificial Intelligence: Attempts to reproduce human behavior / learning. The term "artificial intelligence" is often used to refer to subsets of AI. Developed in the 1950s.
  • ChatGPT: A Generative Pre-training Transformer that uses natural language and advanced deep learning to make predictions
    • ChatGPT is a type of software--an AI chat bot. Latest version 4.0 is able to connect to the Internet (although this poses security and privacy threats). It can be downloaded as a mobile app for iOS and Android devices. Version 4.0 is accessible only to paid subscribers.
    • The version 3.0 is free, has an information cutoff (last update) of September 2021, and does not connect to the Internet.
  • CLEAR Framework for prompt engineering (Leo Lo: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2023.102720): 
    • Concise
    • Logical
    • Explicit
    • Adaptive
    • Reflective
  • Deep learning: Avoids the need for human operators using comparatively larger datasets and a hierarchy of concepts built from simpler concepts.
  • Generative AI: Sophisticated text prediction inspired by human neural networks; uses a subset of machine learning with datasets to generate new content.
  • Hallucinations: Refers to erroneous ("fake") AI-generated results.
  • Large Language Model: A model that uses massive amounts of training data to teach algorithms without human instruction.
  • Machine learning: A subset of AI used to teach computers to learn and act without programming that uses comparatively smaller datasets.
  • Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG): AI framework that combines information retrieval systems with large language models (LLMs) to improve text generation.
  • Tortured phrases: Mistranslated technical terms, e.g., "colossal information" for "big data"
 

The AI Family Tree

Graphic of AI Family Tree that branches out from Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning.

 

Wheatley, A & Hervieux, S. (2020). The AI family tree [diagram]. The LibrAIry. https://thelibrairy.wordpress.com/2020/05/12/the-ai-family-tree/

 

References Used to Create this Guide

Choice-ACRL webinar. (2023, September 28). How artificial intelligence drives scientific research. Springer Nature. https://youtu.be/gitxCfoHHXI?si=aJY3wPG5j7ixvYZf

Flierl, M. (2023, August 15). AI, higher education, and medical librarianship: Opportunities and risks. NNLM Region 6 Spotlight Speaker webinar. https://utoledo.libapps.com/libguides/admin_c.php?g=1346958&p=9936351

JoVE Webinar. (2023, September 20). ChatGPT & libraries: Applications and implications for teaching and learning.

Lo, L.S. (2023). The CLEAR path: A framework for enhancing information literacy through prompt engineering. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 49(4), 102720. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2023.102720

McGraw-Hill Masterclass Webinar. (2023, September 19). Artificial Intelligence in Medicine.

Oxford University Press. (n.d.). Artificial intelligence. In Oxford Reference. Retrieved 17 Nov. 2023, from https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095426960

Webinar sponsored by State University of New York at Albany. (2023, November 29). The role of Generative AI in LIS publishing: Opportunities and challenges.

Wheatley, A. & Hervieux, S. (2023, October 11). ChatGPT and Generative AI: Benefits, concerns, and opportunities for health science libraries. Medical Library Association, Midwest Chapter Workshop.