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Care, academic excellence, justice: How can you ethically and responsibly use ChatGPT?

ChatGPT has serious limitations, like inherent bias and providing incomplete information, AND it has impressive capabilities, like summarizing a body of text, developing code, generating recipes, and describing art. It is normal to use technology that helps us learn and makes life easier. How does the use of emerging technology like ChatGPT support or challenge our stated values at SU? We aim for academic excellence, we aim to think critically, we aim to avoid bias and promote justice.

Is the content of ChatGPT ethical?

Humans are inherently biased. ChatGPT, and other AI tools, reflect the bias that comes from developers, content creators, and users. Consequently, output created by ChatGPT will contain and amplify these biases. In a recent article, Mutale Nkonde, an expert on AI policy, discusses how racism and sexism are ingrained in technology like ChatGPT. Nkonde provides an example of how ChatGPT was unable to expound on the influence of Bessie Smith, the legendary African American blues singer, on historical and modern musical artists.

Is your use of ChatGPT content ethical?

A recent survey indicates about half of college students have experience using ChatGPT, and almost a quarter of college students have used ChatGPT specifically for assignments or tests.

How can you ethically and responsibly use ChatGPT? In addition to consulting SU’s Academic Integrity policy, consider creating a personal framework that aligns your use of ChatGPT with your values. A University of Michigan Coursera course provides guidance on creating a code of ethics for using ChatGPT.

• Reflect and check your values and beliefs about the use of ChatGPT: What ideals do you want to exemplify and uphold? Trust, individual and communal privacy, social justice, care, honesty?
• Consider potential risks of using ChatGPT: Do you understand all of the limitations of ChatGPT? Is the information you are using unbiased or misinterpreted?  Is the information you are using accurate and comprehensive? Could the information you are using be harmful or perpetuate harm to others?
• Integrate accountability during your use of ChatGPT:  What are you using ChatGPT for?  What are your motivations? Will you be transparent in your use?  Are you open to feedback and criticism from others?
• Review and revise your framework: How are you addressing new ethical issues that arise with this rapidly evolving technology?

To learn more about ChatGPT, visit SU’s Center for Digital Learning & Innovation (CDLI) or Ask a Librarian.

For More Blog Entries on AI and Librarianship:

• Reflections on AI and Librarianship by Sarah Barbara Watstein, Dean Lemieux Library and McGoldrick Learning Commons
• AI in Library Resources and Research Apps by Ekaterini Papadopoulou, Health Sciences Librarian
• AI in Business and Business Schools by Jason Hall, Business Librarian
• ChatGPT and AI Hallucination by Chris Granatino, Director Research Services
• How can you ethically and responsibly use ChatGPT? by Jennifer Bodley, Adjunct Librarian

Citations and Linked Articles:

• Center for Digital Learning & Innovation. (n. d.). ChatGPT. https://www.seattleu.edu/cdli/resources/chatgpt/
• Nkonde, M. (2023, February 27). ChatGPT: New AI system, old bias? Mashable. https://mashable.com/article/chatgpt-ai-racism-bias
• Seattle University. (n. d.). Academic integrity. https://www.seattleu.edu/academic-integrity/
• University of Michigan. (n. d.). ChatGPT teach-out. Coursera. https://www.coursera.org/learn/chatgpt-teach-out
• Welding, L. (2020, March 27). Half of college students say using AI on schoolwork is cheating or plagiarism. Best Colleges. https://www.bestcolleges.com/research/college-students-ai-tools-survey/#:~:text=43%25%20of%20college%20students%20have,college%20students%20in%20our%20survey.