Generative Artificial Intelligence (or Gen AI) is a type of artificial intelligence that can be used to create content, such as text, images, video, and music. As a rapidly evolving area of technology, Generative AI has introduced many areas of opportunity , but also introduces challenges and potential risk. In addition to the content on this page, the campus community is encouraged to review the information on Artificial Intelligence at Portland State University, which includes a wide variety of Gen AI information and resources.
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Additional features and functionality are available to departments to purchase for faculty and staff at an additional cost (refer to the “Feature Comparison” section).
On this page
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To use generative AI responsibly, at a minimum, you should:
Avoid inputting sensitive or personal data into AI systems that do not explicitly provide appropriate data security and privacy protections. Continue reading below for requirements related to PSU confidential information.
Always verify the accuracy of AI-generated content.
Use AI outputs as a starting point, rather than as finalized content, especially in academic or professional settings.
Be aware of potential biases and take steps to mitigate them.
Disclose AI use, ensure proper attribution, and avoid plagiarism.
Understand instructor expectations for Gen AI use related to any coursework. If you are not sure, ask your instructor.
Consider the ethical implication of Gen AI use, refer to PSU’s Guidelines for the Ethical Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence for more information.
Policies, Standards, and Best Practices
Portland State University has specific policies and guidelines for using Generative AI tools applicable to your work as a student or employee at PSU (e.g., academic integrity, ethical use, proper attribution, etc.or similar). Please refer to the Artificial Intelligence at Portland State University web page for more information.
Data Security, Privacy, and Accessibility
Unless explicitly stated by the vendor or service provider, Generative AI tools and services will typically utilize data entered into them to train the large language model or for human review. The use of Gen AI tools not supported by OIT for University operations should be reviewed by the OIT Security Team prior to use.
As long as you are logged into your pdx.edu account, Google Gemini and NotebookLM will not use data and files uploaded to train the model or for human review.
Gemini for Students is covered by the Google Terms of Service and should not be used for confidential or restricted data types as outlined in the PSU Information Security Policy.
Gemini for Employees is covered by the Google Workspace for Education Terms of Service and can be used for confidential or restricted data types that would otherwise be appropriate to store in Google Drive.
NotebookLM (for both students and employees) is covered by the Google Terms of Service and should not be used for confidential or restricted data types as outlined in the PSU Information Security Policy.
For security, privacy, and accessibility advice regarding Generative AI tools, refer to:
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Feature | Gemini for Students | Gemini for Employees 1 | Gemini Education Add-On (Employees) | Gemini Education Premium Add-On (Employees) |
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Access to Gemini | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Suitable for use with PSU confidential data |
❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | |
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❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | |
Integration with Google Workspace, including Gmail, Drive, and |
❌ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | |
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Access to Gems, custom AI agents for any topic |
❌ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | |
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Ability to upload non-image files and Google Drive documents |
❌ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | |
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Access to Gemini Advanced, Google’s most capable AI models widely available today |
❌ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | |
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Additional Google Meet features, such as automated note-taking | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ |
Additional Cost |
None | None |
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$192 / user / |
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$288 / user / |
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Generative AI can be a powerful tool for students when used responsibly, providing opportunities to enhance learning while maintaining academic integrity. Students should consult with their instructor and/or syllabus before utilizing Generative AI tools for academic work, to determine the level, if any, of allowed generative AI usage (for example, using generative AI to write an assignment vs. using it to generate a preliminary set of references for review). In all cases, content generated by your prompting of AI must be attributed as indicated in the Academic Misconduct Policy. For more information on citing Generative AI, visit the PSU Library’s Citing Generative AI page.
The following sections outline recommended tools and best practices for students at Portland State University.
Recommended Generative AI
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Tools for
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Use by
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Students
When appropriate, generative AI chatbots can assist with academic tasks, such as brainstorming ideas, summarizing information, or helping with writing. Recommended tools include:
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Gemini is a general purpose tool that can aid in a variety of tasks students perform when writing or analyzing. For best results, communicate with your professor about how to use Gemini to maximize your learning and to identify the |
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appropriate uses of Gemini for your work in the class. For example, students can brainstorm ideas in class |
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discussions and also brainstorm individually with Gemini assisting. Gemini can help writers organize scattered thoughts into an outline. It can correct grammatical mistakes, and explain the errors so you're less likely to make them again. It is excellent at summarizing ideas |
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and editing for concision. For more information about learning with AI, visit the Generative AI at Portland State University page. |
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A versatile tool that integrates well with academic materials, NotebookLM helps students organize notes, summarize key concepts, and generate insights for assignments. It is particularly useful for managing large amounts of information and generating coherent summaries |
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. It is an excellent accessibility tool because it can transform text into other modalities, such as audio. Keep in mind that any time Gen AI transforms material, it can introduce errors or elisions. Gen AI tools can support various academic activities, but students should always carefully review the AI outputs to ensure quality and accuracy. |
Getting Started
To get started with generative AI chatbots, students can follow these basic steps:
Choose an AI Tool: Select a tool based on your needs. If you’re using a tool not supported by PSU, ensure that the tool provides adequate data security and privacy.
Start with Simple Prompts: Begin with simple questions or requests to understand how the tool works. For example, "Generate a summary of the main ideas from [topic]."
Test accuracy by asking AI to summarize or transform something you know well. This will give you experience evaluating Gen AI critically.
Troubleshooting & and Refinement: If a chatbot generates irrelevant or unclear content, try rephrasing your prompt or providing more context.
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Generative AI can be used to enhance productivity and efficiency by helping to streamline administrative tasks for staff members. Here are some examples of how it can be used.
Writing
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Assistance
Both of PSU’s Gemini offerings can help create first drafts of written content. Using its chat interface to conduct conversations with the AI, new ideas can be developed and created. Gemini Education and Education Premium Add-On licenses allow for the use of Gemini directly inside of Google Docs for convenient access. Gemini can help with proofreading and revising already written works, adjusting the tone, turning rough notes into coherent paragraphs, and more. Follow up prompts and additional questions and refinement can help the tool further hone content.
Data
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Analysis
Employees can use Gemini to analyze data. This could include synthesizing survey results, cleaning and classifying data, or looking for patterns or insights in a large data set.
Making
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Meetings More Manageable
Integrating AI-driven tools like Zoom's AI Companion and Gemini can significantly enhance meeting efficiency and collaboration.
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These AI-driven features collectively make meetings more efficient and inclusive, reducing administrative overhead and fostering seamless collaboration across teams. See Refer to the OAI+ Zoom Companion page for more information on how to enable and use these features.
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The Gemini Education Premium Add-on offers AI-assisted features that streamline various tasks within Google Workspace, including AI-Powered Note-Taking and Summaries in Meet, which automatically generates concise summaries of meeting discussions, enabling participants to quickly review key points and action items (these are similar to the features that Zoom provides).
These features help save time and ensure that all team members, including those who may have missed a meeting, can stay informed without the burden of manual note-taking.
Other
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Use Cases
The Gemini Education and Education Premium Add-on licenses enable additional functionality that can be used for other use cases, such as:
Enhancing presentations, videos, and other multimedia content
Email and inbox management management
Spreadsheets and data management
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The Office of Academic Innovation has resources and use cases for faculty that can be found at on the OAI+ Generative AI for Teaching page.
Faculty can leverage AI to enhance their work. More resources for faculty can be found on the Artificial Intelligence at Portland State University page.
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Research and Graduate Studies provides resources and guidance for research faculty on the InnovAIte Research site.
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Additional Resources
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a computer system taught to mimic human intelligence using machine learning techniques.
Machine learning (ML) consists of techniques enabling computers to classify data based on human-classified training data or to autonomously identify patterns in data.
Large language models (LLMs) are machine learning models that can analyze, predict, and generate human language.
Generative AI (Gen AI) is a type of AI that focuses on creating new content – like text, images, music, audio, code, and videos – by typing in a simple prompt.