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Artificial Intelligence (AI): Gen AI Tools

Overview

floating cube of technology exploding into the air

Fig 1. Image generated using Microsoft Edge's Copilot, powered by DALL E from the prompt "create an image of databases glitching or malfunctioning". 

 

We have included some Gen AI tools that you could potentially use in your studies, research and teaching. Some are totally free, some require registration and others incur a fee. We have divided these tools into specific categories. For an overview, please navigate through the tabbed boxes below. 

Please note the University does not provide official support for any of the AI tools. We have only included in this Guide, examples of tools and not an endorsement of their use. All tools should be evaluated for appropriateness and only used for purposes that are legal and which conform to appropriate codes of conduct and data sensitivity levels. If you do use any AI tools, any use is entirely at the discretion of the user. Overall, any usage should be approached with careful consideration and used responsibly. 

 

If you would like to find more AI tools or keep up to date with new tools, you can explore these websites: 

You can also subscribe to various websites that release news on the developments of AI tools and AI news. For instance you can access AI related articles from The Conversation (Science + Tech link > scroll down to "Read more on Artificial Intelligence" link), Open AI News, or the free newsletter in Future Tools, AI Innovations link in Futurepedia and the All Things AI Blog. 

Gen AI Tools

There exist a vast array of AI tools, that can be used in very specific ways, to produce text outputs for your needs. By way of illustration, consider the paragraphs below. Can you guess which paragraph has been written by a ChatGPT 3.5? Look close - we have left a clue in one of the paragraphs!

a robot thinking

The usual suspects are, ChatGPT 3.5, ChatGPT 4 etc. Since the advent of ChatGPT, a slew of other AI tools have been developed, for instance Bing Copilot, and Google's Gemini AI. All of these tools can produce any form written text, after you provide a specific prompt. You can also ask it questions and clarify concepts. Some other examples are TinyWow, which includes a repository of tools that can be used to produce various types of content and Rytr, which can be used as a writing assistant! Overall, these tools should be used with caution, as they have been known to hallucinate and make content up. So don't believe everything it generates. Before you dive in and use one of these tools to create content for you, have a look at the Most Dangerous Writing App, to help you get you started. So before you go off and use a chatbot like ChatGPT to help you brainstorm or generate ideas, you can use this tool instead. 

Fig 2. Image generated using Microsoft Edge's Copilot, powered by DALL E from the prompt "you are a well renowned artist. you have been commissioned to create a piece of artwork for the Artificial Intelligence Institute. they have asked you to create a some artwork that will help to convey a chatbot that really enjoys answering questions online. you can model the chatbot on IBM'S WATSON if you like. the image should look highly futuristic, highly realistic and evoke a sense of cinematic grandeur".  

a robot sitting on a cloud with floating question marks

Notable examples include ChatGPT 3.5, ChatGPT 4, Bing Copilot, and Google's Gemini AI. These tools can produce various forms of written text based on specific prompts and can also answer questions and clarify concepts. Additional examples include TinyWow, which offers a repository of tools for creating diverse content, and Rytr, which serves as a writing assistant. However, it is important to use these tools with caution as they can occasionally generate inaccurate or fabricated content. Before utilizing an AI tool for content creation, consider starting with the Most Dangerous Writing App to help stimulate ideas.

Fig 3. Image generated using Microsoft Edge's Copilot, powered by DALL·E from the prompt "create some artwork that will help to convey a chatbot that enjoys answering questions".

 

PS: The second paragraph was written using a chatbot (ChatGPT (2024), OpenAI. Accessed July 07, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://chat.openai.com/). This is the prompt that was used: "Can you rewrite this text so that it is less conversational. The giveaway is the way the word utilizing is spelt. One thing to keep in mind is that it is fine to ask ChatGPT to rewrite / paraphrase your own work, but you must not ask it to paraphrase someone else's work. For more information on how to use Gen AI tools and some do's, don'ts and limitations, have a look at the Using Gen AI Tools tab. 

Please note that there are some very important aspects you will need to consider, when you use AI tools to generate and create art. Please see the Copyright section of the Ethical Considerations tab for more information.

To continue your journey of the other categories of Gen AI tools, navigate through the other tabbed boxes above to find out about AI tools, that can be used to make videos, convert text to speech, create music, vamp up your presentations, to collaborate and assist with your research!

 


Fig 9. Image generated using using Microsoft Edge's Copilot, powered by DALL·E from the prompt "can you create an image that depicts an infamous film director sitting in a director's chair, directing actors in a major Hollywood blockbuster. Make sure the director is holding a megaphone and yelling out action! Include some cinematic grandeur. Make it look like an old Hollywood movie poster".

There are several tools that can be used to either create videos and / or edit videos. The tool you use, will be dependent on your needs (video creation or video editing) and the kind of output you want to produce. Here are some suggestions below: 

 

 

Fig 10. Image generated using Microsoft Edge's Copilot, powered by DALL·E from the prompt "create an image that represents a talking avatar in monochromatic colours".

Here are some suggestions for text to speech AI tools. These will allow you to create AI voices from written text.

Some may also give you the power to create talking avatars!

 

 

Fig 11. Image generated using Microsoft Edge's Copilot, powered by DALL·E from the prompt "can you create an image of Ludwig van Beethoven acknowledging an audience, after performing his 9th grand symphony (a musical masterpiece). can you also include a full orchestra in the background".

Any usage of tools that generate music should be used responsibly and with caution. There may be some copyright issues that may need to consider. You may also need to investigate whether the outputs are royalty free. Below we have provided a list of some suggestions of tools that can be used to create music:

 

 

 

Fig 12. Image generated using Microsoft Edge's Copilot, powered by DALL·E from the prompt "create a modern and realistic image, that conveys different designs of infographics".

Below we have provided some suggestions to assist you with the design of infographics.  

 

 

Fig 13. Image generated using Microsoft Edge's Copilot, powered by DALL·E from the prompt "create an image of a group of people giving a presentation at a University. make it ultra realistic and evoke a mid century modern flair. can you make the people face the audience".

Below we have provided some suggestions to assist you with the creation of presentations.  

  • Canva
  • Slides Carnival
  • Beautiful AI
  • Don't underestimate the power of PowerPoint. It has some great AI tools embedded within it:  an AI powered Designer to add stunning images and videos in your slide deck and a Presentation Coach, to help you fine tune your presentation skills. For more information on how you can create AI driven presentations using PowerPoint have a look at this LinkedIn Learning Course: AI-Powered Presentations: Crafting Compelling PowerPoints with ChatGPT and Copilot by Camille Holden.  

 

 


Fig 14. Image generated using Microsoft Edge's Copilot, powered by DALL·E from the prompt "create an image that conveys the idea of collaboration between humans and machines, to achieve a common goal. make the image look as realistic as possible. include as many people as you can in the image".

To assist you achieve a common goal, you can try these collaboration tools. 


Fig 15. Image generated using Microsoft Edge's Copilot, powered by DALL·E from the prompt "create an image of a group of people conducting research at a University. make it look like it is from a comic strip and also make it evoke a mid century modern flair. can you include as many the people as you can in the image".

 

Below we have included some tools that can be used when performing certain research tasks. For more information in relation to using AI in your research, please watch the recording Exploring AI in Academic Research: Opportunities, Risks, and Ethical Considerations. 

CONTENT LICENCE

 Except for logos, Canva designs, AI generated images or where otherwise indicated, content in this guide is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International Licence.