Generative AI tools can be used in many ways, whether to find information or content, to understand or manipulate content you already have, or to create your own content. Some GenAI tools, such as ChatGPT, are text-oriented in format and very general in topic coverage, while an ever-increasing number of other tools are designed for more specific purposes or different media.

Here are a few ways college students and faculty can use GenAI:
 

• Generate a list of keywords and phrases or subject tags to effectively search Google Scholar or a library database for sources on a topic.
• Create a list of academic journal articles or other relevant sources (datasets, case studies, etc.) on a topic (better to use an academic tool such as Elicit rather than ChatGPT for this: the latter often creates fake citations that look plausible but are not real).
• Find potential grants, scholarships, or other funding sources for research projects or academic initiatives.
• Explain or clarify a complex or difficult concept: e.g., "explain quantum indeterminacy to a college student with no background in physics."
• Summarize an article: e.g., list the main points or key findings; explain the methodology, including its capabilities and limitations.
• Analyze, interrogate, or interpret a text: e.g., list major themes and how they relate to one another; provide historical and social context of a story's setting; compare/contrast themes, styles, etc., of different texts or authors.
• Translate a block of text from one language to another (or from "legalese" to regular English).
• Create an image to illustrate a concept.
• Use it for practice or self-testing: e.g., generate questions or quizzes to answer; create flash cards for review.
• Generate code snippets for programming, or provide debugging assistance and explanations of coding concepts.
• Take a jumble of ideas and generate a rough draft or outline of an organized essay.
• Create a syllabus, or a lecture outline, or a complete lesson plan including readings to assign, lecture or discussion topics, in-class and homework exercises, exam questions, assessment rubrics, etc.
• Develop a scenario or case study for a group to discuss and analyze.
• Assist in designing an experiment or project.
• Ask it to critique an essay you have written for grammar, style, structure, or content, and to suggest improvements. Keep in mind, however, that many GenAI tools will ingest any content you provide it and add it to its corpus of texts or dataset.
• Ask a tool such as ChatGPT "how can I as a college student/faculty member use generative AI to do X?"

For any of these, or any other use you make of GenAI tools, you will of course need to verify any factual claims in GenAI-created content, and carefully edit and rework any content you use in work you are creating to make it your own. Whatever the input or sources you use, you are responsible for any and all content you share with others.