Academic AI tools

Getting started

As generative AI continues to evolve, there are a growing number of tools available beyond general tools like ChatGPT to assist with a variety of academic tasks. This guide summarizes and provides examples of these tools through common activities that you may undertake in your academic life. It is intended as a starting point for personal exploration and learning, and is not an endorsement.

Asking the right questions

It is important to keep asking questions and reflecting on your own learning as you navigate the rapidly changing world of academic AI tools.

Existing tools and databases for academic tasks should be considered alongside new AI tools as they each have their strengths and weaknesses. Critically evaluating tools and approaches is essential to keeping control of your own learning and research.

The skills of evaluating tools and information are not new, but with new AI academic tools comes new questions and considerations. Check out Critical Evaluation: Evaluating information generated by AI (PDF), and Critical Evaluation: Evaluating AI Tools (PDF), both by Newcastle University.

Most of the tools listed as examples in this guide offer a freemium model (providing basic features at no cost while charging money for additional functionality), and the Library does not subscribe to any of them at the moment. The Generative AI Product Tracker (Google Doc) by Ithaka S-R offers a more extended list.

You can learn about key features and areas for caution as well as see example tools in each of the categories below.