Librarian's guide to Artificial Intelligence

When you utilize AI applications in your studies, consider whether you're using the application as artificial intelligence or augmented intelligence.

• Artificial Intelligence = AI does the work, and you don't have to think at all?
• Augmented Intelligence (Intelligence Augmentation) = The applications are used to support, reflect on, and enhance your own learning.

On this page we use the term "augmented intelligence" instead of "artificial intelligence". Augmented intelligence refers to using applications to support, reflect on, and enhance your learning. They support you in the process of information seeking, but they don't do the thinking for you.

For academic research, it remains advisable to use scholarly databases. However, augmented intelligence applications can be beneficial when you already know a lot about the topic and can critically evaluate their outputs. There are various augmented intelligence applications; some generate text in interaction with the user, while others search for reference literature based on a example text provided.

Different information needs require different search tools. It's vital to first consider your information need and determine if augmented intelligence applications are suitable:

• When are free online search engines, like Google or Google Scholar enough to meet your information need?
• When do you need scholarly databases?
• When can you use augmented intelligence applications?
• When is it useful to utilize all of the above?

Evaluating the answers generated by augmented intelligence applications can be challenging, as users often lack precise knowledge about what data mass the the responses are based on and how the answers are generated.

• Applications can produce incorrect and misleading information.
• Spotting erroneous information isn't easy, especially if the topic is unfamiliar to you.
• The need for source criticism is pronounced.

Considerations related to the use of language model-based applications (e.g., ChatGPT):

• You can use such applications to come up with search terms and then perform the actual search in a scholarly database.
• If you ask an augmented intelligence application to find articles on a desired topic, remember to verify if the articles in fact exist and check their actual content. There can be significant differences between different applications and their versions in this sense.
• Language model-based applications produce text using algorithms and probabilities. They don't truly "know" or "understand" matters in the same sense as humans do.

Stay Critical!

When using augmented intelligence applications, remember to stay critical:

1. Know the program you're using and how it works
   • Find out how different applications work. What data are the answers based on? Is the answer based on any content available on the Internet, which may include unreliable information, or on scholarly publications?
2. Don't rely on a single application
   • You'll achieve the best results when utilizing multiple augmented intelligence applications.
3. Verify the information you receive
   • Do not trust solely the text generated by a language model-based program.
4. Stay updated on trends in your field
   • Discover what's happening in your area of expertise, also in the use augmented intelligence.

Remember to discuss with your thesis advisor or course instructor whether using augmented intelligence applications is allowed or desired in your information seeking.

• This instruction has been copied with permission from Tampere University Library guide.

Orientation to the topic

• You can use ChatGPT as a source of inspiration when brainstorming and formulating your research question. Be aware that it may introduce biased assumptions into the discussion. Remember that it has been trained with data up to 2021, as it has no knowledge of the latest research findings.

Planning your search

• ChatGPT can help you find good keywords for your information seeking. It is worth asking ChatGPT to complete its list of search terms several times, rather than settling for the first answer. Please note, however, that this does not replace the need to consult glossaries and check the terms used by experts in the field.
• ChatGPT can help you identify tools or databases that are relevant to your topic. Please note that it may not provide a comprehensive answer from the available sector-specific databases. Nor can it tell you whether our library subscribes to a particular database. For comprehensive information on sectoral and cross-sectoral data sources, please consult the Library's Databases A-Z list.
• Please note that ChatGPT is not trained to formulate search phrases for the purpose of searching for scientific information. If you ask it to construct search phrases for you, you might probably have to edit and reformat them.

Conducting the Search

• ChatGPT cannot help you with your actual search for information. It cannot search for information in a systematic and transparent way.
• ChatGPT can tell you how the database works. However, we recommend that you check the manual directly with the database of your choice. The functionality may have changed since 2021 and the ChatGPT response may well be out of date.

Evaluation of search results

• You cannot use ChatGPT to evaluate search results. Information evaluation is a human skill based on criteria that you yourself consider relevant. As a researcher or student, as a data seeker, you have to decide whether a source is relevant to your work.
• However, you can use ChatGPT to clarify and translate difficult texts, as it is good for summarising or reformatting text. However, remember to be critical of sources, i.e. don't believe everything - ChatGPT may present biased views.

References and citations

• ChatGPT is unable to provide real sources for the texts it writes. It can provide a list of sources on request, but usually the sources are incorrect or completely fictitious.
• ChatGPT is also unable to create bibliographies using certains citation styles. Reference management software, like Zotero and others, support a myriad of citation styles and are good tools for this purpose.

When using AI applications, always consider how they handle the data you enter. As a general rule, all data input to AI services is stored outside the EU/EEA and cannot be deleted from there. For example, no personal data, business secrets, confidential information or sensitive information may be entered into the services.

Instructions on how to restrict the use of your input for AI training in ChatGPT.

Tips from other libraries' AI guides

• Tampere University Library's Information Searching Guide
• Texas Tech University Libraries: Artificial Intelligence Tools for Detection, Research and Writing

AI-powered article search tools

Keenious

• Starting from November 2023, there will be a paid Keenious Plus version and a limited free version.
• In the Free version, search results are limited to max. 10 articles and the search text length is restricted to 1000 words.
• A trial for organization license is coming for the University of Turku during 2024.
• The application utilizes existing texts for its search, meaning it looks for articles based on a given text.
• The tool can be accessed via browser or used with plugins for Word or Google Docs.
• Presentation video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlXiiQdbT0E

Elicit

• Login is required for this tool which summarizes scientific articles based on a question or another article.
• Search queries can be written in natural language, preferably in English.
• Presentation video: https://www.youtube.com/oughtinc

Semantic Scholar

• No login required, but it's recommended.
• Allows brief keyword searches.
• Displays article references.
• Highlights the most cited articles and gives recommendations based on the topic.
• Instructional video: https://www.semanticscholar.org/product/tutorials#Video-Search