This report provides recommendations in the areas of training and support, privacy and security, and administrative structures related to GenAI. It includes background information, analysis of GenAI use in research and creating artifacts, and recommendations for teaching, learning, and student professional development. Additionally, the report offers best-practice guidelines for the appropriate use of GenAI tools and dealing with inappropriate use.
The key takeaways of this report are as follows:
- Critical Embrace: Boston University (BU) should not universally prohibit or restrict the use of Generative AI (GenAI) tools. Instead, BU should critically embrace the use of GenAI, support AI literacy among faculty and students, and provide the necessary resources to maximize the benefits of GenAI in research and education.
- Pedagogical Clarity: GenAI policies adopted by BU colleges, schools, or departments should be consistent with the university’s policies and reflect a critical embrace of GenAI technology. Individual instructors should have the freedom to define GenAI policies that align with the learning goals of their courses, and every syllabus should state the instructor’s GenAI policy.
- Academic Misconduct: Instructors should exercise caution when using GenAI detectors as evidence of GenAI use. GenAI detector output should be considered as part of a wider evidence base when evaluating possible academic misconduct. If GenAI detectors are used, they should be applied equally and fairly, and instructors should be aware of selection bias. Students should also be informed about the detectors used and given an opportunity to use them. Instructors should be supported in using reliable and consistent detectors.
- Security and Privacy: BU should adopt policies to prevent the inadvertent publicizing of sensitive or valuable information by uploading it to GenAI tools. Measures should be in place to protect security and privacy when using GenAI.
- Centralized Decisions: BU should centralize decisions on GenAI tool acquisition and licensing, resourcing and personnel for supporting GenAI literacy and pedagogical reflection, and administrative structures to ensure ongoing adaptive response to rapidly developing GenAI technology.
AI Advisory Boards 