What is Generative AI, Anyway?
Bard, one of the many generative AI models available on the web, produced this short explanation:
Generative AI (GenAI) is a type of artificial intelligence that can create new content based on existing data. GenAI models learn patterns from the data they are trained on and then use this knowledge to generate new data with similar characteristics.
GenAI can create a wide variety of data, including: text, images, videos, audio, 3D models, computer code, and mathematical calculations and proofs.
This is a good start to understanding what all those AI apps are doing. It's more pattern recognition and prediction and less magic than it seems at first.
Some of the current AI engines
- GeminiGoogle's free chatbot. This is also embedded in Google Search (depending on your settings)
- ChatGPTThe free chatbot that started the current excitement. Some would-be users have found they don't want to share as much information as a signup requires. There's a newer, more robust version available for $20 per month. On the web or with an app for iOS and Android. ChatGPT is the engine that powers many third-party apps.
- ClaudeStarted by former developers for ChatGPT, Claude.ai promises "Constitutional AI" that "shapes the outputs of AI systems according to a set of principles, with the goal of making a helpful, harmless, and honest AI assistant." Currently free and in an open beta testing phase.
- Scribe AIAn AI tool that documents processes and generates visual how-to documents with screenshots. Available as a Chrome extension and as an integration into many other software packages.
- Jasper AIAn AI integration aimed at business use, can be trained for specific brand preferences. This is a paid tool starting at $39/month.
- DALL-E2An AI art generator from OpenAI, the makers of ChatGPT. It creates images from text descriptions.
- Autodesk Generative DesignGenerates design models for products and manufacturing, aerospace, architecture, engineering, and construction.
- WordtuneA text generator and editor. Available as a Chrome and Microsoft Word extension.
Some of the AI Detectors
AI detection is very much an arms race right now. Things are changing so fast with both chatbots and detectors that the accuracy of these varies daily and sometimes from hour to hour. The best thing I can recommend if you encounter student work that you think has made unauthorized use of AI is to try several detectors and then discuss with the student to see if they know the material well. If you are willing to let them redo, making that clear early in the discussion may lead to a more fruitful conversation.
- TurnitinThis one is built into our Assignments folders in GeorgiaView; if you turn on the plagiarism checker, you will automatically get the AI checker as well.
- Content at ScaleFree, targeted at students
- Winston AIFree trial, then paid
- Origin by GPTZeroThis is a plugin for Chrome; you can highlight and right-click on text in a website (or GeorgiaView) to check it.
- Writer.com AI content detectorFree, limited to 1500 characters at a time.
