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Responsible AI Use

When using AI, it is important that you view it as a tool and a collaborative partner, but not a replacement for you or your work. If you copy and paste AI output and trust it as fact, you’re setting yourself up to potentially lose credibility, or make yourself or the university look bad.  Providing human oversight is essential to not "losing the human" in our jobs. 

Always remember to: 

  • Review and revise AI-generated content
  • Be transparent about any AI use for decision-making
  • Keep a human in the loop

To help guide you a bit more on what you can and cannot do with AI, we’ve created examples of what is generally allowed, what you can use it for with caution, and what is generally not allowed.  

Artificial Intelligence

Faculty

Generally Allowed

  • Using AI to create AI-generated materials (PowerPoint slides, graphs, study guides, etc. 
  • Using AI to adapt teaching materials for diverse learning needs 
  • Using AI to enhance or improve assignments, course learning objectives, etc. 
  • Summarizing and comparing anonymous student surveys 

Use with Caution

  • Using AI to grade or give feedback on assignments should be clearly stated in the syllabus and have explicit approval from students. Instructors should offer a human-alternative (e.g., teacher, TA) for those who do not consent. 
  • Using AI to create quiz questions based on course readings. While AI can create quiz questions, it doesn’t always do a great job; any use of AI to create quiz questions should be reviewed for accuracy and that they are good questions.

Not Allowed

  • Using AI to grade assignments or provide feedback without human oversight. 
  • Inputting student work into an AI tool that contains identifiable data (name, NU ID, unique identifying factors, etc.) 
  • Uploading publisher PowerPoints or journal articles behind a paywall into any free or consumer, non-enterprise AI tool. 

Staff

Generally Allowed

  • Using AI to identify excel spreadsheet formulas or other issues 
  • Creating custom GPTs to quickly answer questions from a public website, handbook, etc. 
  • Writing and improving job descriptions 
  • Summarizing and comparing anonymous input surveys from faculty, staff, and/or students 
  • Creating project plans or timelines 

Use with Caution

  • Drafting or summarizing internal or external communications 
  • Drafting responses to faculty or student interaction. Make sure you include no identifiable information 

Not Allowed

  • Using AI to make administrative decisions without human oversight 
  • Using AI to help complete evaluations, reviews, etc. without prior consent from faculty, staff, and/or students. Allow them to opt out of having information fed into any AI tool 

Students

Generally Allowed

  • Using AI in ways approved by an instructor 
  • Uploading your personal notes or reading summaries from class into any AI tool for studying or organizational purposes 
  • Brainstorming topics, ideas, or strategies to balance a busy schedule. 

Use with Caution

  • Receiving feedback on assignments or papers before submitting. Make sure no personal information is being shared and you’re asking for feedback, not asking it to complete the assignment 
  • Using an AI tool to explain or rephrase concepts, give examples, or quiz you over the content. 

Not Allowed

  • Uploading instructor PowerPoints, journal articles, or other materials into free AI tools (NotebookLM, ChatGPT, etc.). This violates intellectual property rights and copyright laws. 
  • Using AI to bypass learning or engage in academic dishonesty (e.g. writing a paper, asking AI to answer direct questions for homework problem, discussion posts, or essays) 
  • Using AI to complete academic work without giving proper attribution. This violates academic integrity policies. 
  • Inserting your NU credentials (e.g. Canvas, Microsoft 365, etc.) into any AI tool.

Researchers

Generally Allowed

  • Idea generation and developing a research question 
  • Identifying and/or summarizing literature summaries 
  • Analyzing publicly available datasets 
  • Editing or refining providing feedback on tone 

Use with Caution

  • Using AI to generate summaries, insights, or graphs from research. These should be critically reviewed for accuracy and validity. Human researchers are responsible for accuracy and integrity of findings. 
  • Using AI to identify patterns in multiple research articles 

Not Allowed

  • Using AI in ways that violates the requirements of the publishing or funding agency. 
  • Using AI tools to peer review other’s research 
  • Feeding unpublished findings into free or paid consumer (non-enterprise) tools. 
  • Using AI tools to record interviewees without prior approval