AI tools and your studies
UvA AI Chat
The use of commercial AI tools such as ChatGPT is not allowed in the context of your studies because these tools do not comply with the UvA’s privacy regulations.
To help you use AI responsibly and allow you to experiment with the possibilities of GenAI, the UvA has developed its own tool called UvA AI Chat. Be sure to follow the UvA AI Chat guidelines that set out what this tool may and may not be used for.
AI must not do your work for you
You enrolled in a study programme to learn and gain expertise in a specific academic field. Your degree certificate shows future employers that you have academic-level working and thinking skills, and that you’ve acquired academic competences in a particular field. To achieve this, you must be intrinsically motivated. You challenge yourself to learn, rather than letting UvA AI Chat do the work for you.
You may use UvA AI Chat to support your learning process but not to do your work. By keeping to this, you strengthen your own academic skills – skills that are, and will remain, vital throughout your academic career and in the job market.
Work not written entirely by you may be considered fraud
The UvA’s regulations on plagiarism and fraud state that lecturers must be able to assess your knowledge, understanding and skills. You are therefore expected to submit work written entirely by you.
The use of UvA AI Chat (and other AI tools) is forbidden unless explicitly stated otherwise. Submitting work that you have not written yourself may be considered fraud. There are strict penalties for fraud at the UvA.
Risks of using AI
UvA AI Chat can help you study more effectively. It can serve as a helpful assistant that is always available for questions, or as a digital study partner to exchange ideas with. Examples include:
- using the tool for brainstorming
- testing your knowledge before an exam
- translating a text written in a language you are less familiar with
Be aware of the risks, though. Two key risks are:
- UvA AI Chat’s answers may sound plausible but still contain inaccuracies. Like similar AI tools, UvA AI Chat generates output based on probabilities and statistics. It does not verify whether the information is factually correct.
- UvA AI Chat’s output may contain harmful biases and stereotypes. The datasets used to train the underlying AI models are not always representative.
It is your responsibility to check texts for inaccuracies and potential bias. You are at all times responsible for the quality of your work.
E-module: AI literacy for students
The UvA has developed a short online AI literacy course to help you understand:
- what Generative AI is
- how it works
- what its limitations are
- how to use it responsibly during your studies
This interactive e-module consists of texts and short quizzes and takes around 45 to 60 minutes to complete.