AI tools for students

AI tools can help you generate text, create images, analyse data, summarise documents, and more. The collective term for these kinds of digital tools is generative AI.

Students at Uppsala University have free access to the AI tool Copilot.

Things to consider before using AI

AI tools such as Copilot can assist you in your studies if used correctly. If you want to explore the possibilities of generative AI, you need to be aware of a few things first:

Make sure it is allowed to use AI for your course

If you want to use AI when working on an assignment or in an exam, you should always check with the teacher if it is allowed and how you should report your use of the tool. You are also responsible for keeping yourself updated on both central and local guidelines regarding generative AI.

Focus on learning

If the use of AI is sanctioned, you should practice using it in a way that promotes your learning.

AI tools can be helpful to get started or to move forward if you are stuck with your task. But remember that a university is a place where the ongoing development of individual independent thinking is a core principle. As such, it is important that you adopt a reflective and critical approach to AI tools and carefully consider when they can contribute to your learning versus when they might negatively impact it.

Be critical

It is important to be aware that texts generated with the help of AI are not always factually correct. You always need to double-check the information with other, familiar sources. You should view generated texts as raw materials that need to be evaluated and processed by you.

Protect your own and others’ privacy

When using AI tools, you should be careful not to input delicate or confidential information. For example, to protect sensitive personal information, you can replace the names of people in your text with “Person 1”, “Person 2”, etc. This also applies to other private information such as personal identity numbers, addresses, registration numbers, etc. Read more about AI and the application of the GDPR at the Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection (in Swedish).

Is it cheating to use AI?

Sometimes it is difficult to know where to draw the line between permissible and transgressive use of generative AI. Even if it is not clearly stated in the course information whether AI is allowed or prohibited, it can still be considered cheating if you make something that an AI tool has written for you appear as if it was written by yourself. Always check with your teacher about what applies to every particular situation or course!