Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) Guidelines
Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI)
A category of artificial intelligence, Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) refers to tools designed to create new content based on patterns learned from the data used to train them.
Examples of commonly available GenAI tools include Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and image-generation tools. These tools typically respond to user-provided prompts, such as questions or instructions, and can produce text, images, or other forms of content. Users may refine results by adjusting prompts to change tone, style, or format.
GenAI tools are used in many fields, including creative arts, education, healthcare, and business. Depending on context and use, they may support activities such as content creation, data analysis, or personalized learning.
While Gen AI offers potential benefits, its use also raises important considerations, including privacy and security, academic integrity, bias, intellectual property, ethical concerns, and environmental impact. These considerations highlight the importance of thoughtful and responsible use.
The University of Kansas encourages responsible learning, inquiry, and experimentation with GenAI tools. It is important to remember that GenAI is a tool, and users remain responsible for the outcomes of its use. Technology may enhance productivity, but it does not replace judgement or diminish responsibility.
Beyond GenAI, AI technologies also include systems that operate in the background of software, analyze large datasets, support automated or agent-driven workflows, or interact physical devices. Some AI systems may not generate content at all, but can still influence how information is processed, decisions are supported, or operations functions.
Expectations for Using Generative AI
Generative AI (GenAI) tools can be helpful, but they also come with risks and limitations. All users are responsible for understanding how these tools work and for following the guidance below.
Users are responsible for verifying the accuracy of any content created using a GenAI tool.
Users are generally not expected to acknowledge the use of GenAI tools for assistance with tasks such as grammatical editing, website copy, or generation of boilerplate language for letters, provided the content is reviewed before use, attribution is not otherwise required, and GenAI use is not prohibited.
Use of GenAI tools is subject to University policies, standards, procedures, guidelines, regulations, faculty, staff, and student manuals, and codes of conduct. GenAI tools must not be used for illegal, discriminatory, or defamatory purposes.
Students should ensure that their use of GenAI tools in coursework complies with their instructor's GenAI policy as stated in the syllabus.
Users should clearly disclose when research content (such as analysis, figures, or proofs) is created using GenAI tools, for example through labeling or citation.
Many concerns related to GenAI use and intellectual property rights remain unresolved. Users should keep in mind that disclosing unpublished research results or findings to GenAI tools could affect the University’s ability to pursue intellectual property rights.
GenAI tools must not be used for malware or spam purposes.
Users should be aware that University data entered into an unapproved GenAI tool lacks University privacy protection and is comparable to sharing that data publicly. Because GenAI tools may collect and store data they receive, any information shared may later be used as output provided to other users. Accordingly, data should not be entered into any GenAI tool unless the data is classified as Public under the University’sData Classification Policy.
Users performing research should follow applicable rules, including those of publishers, conferences, funding agencies, and professional organizations, when using GenAI tools.
Users have the same degree of responsibility for any content produced using GenAI tools, including mistakes made by the GenAI tool (for example, hallucinations or factual errors), as they would for content produced without GenAI assistance.