Harnessing the Power of AI to Power the Next Generation of Research
AI Tools Boot Camp, Avi Staiman
About me
Avi Staiman
Chef, Scholarly Kitchen
Host, New Books Network Scholarly Communication Podcast
Core member, CANGARU
Creator, AI Tool-Up Tuesdays!
What are Generative Large Language Models?
1
Wordle on Steroids
They….
They wanted to go to the park…
2
Common Misconceptions
  • Replacement for scientists
  • Personalized Wikipedia
  • Expectation of consistency
What are LLMs based on?
Why Are You Lying to Me?!
Transformative ——> skeptical
Essential for some tasks —→ Descrutive for others
Working With Generative AI Responsibly
Will AI do a better job than the best available human?
Genius
  1. Research assistant with defined materials
  1. Reformulate, rewriting text
  1. Translation, transcription and editing
  1. Low-risk summarizing mass materials
  1. To get past brain freeze or writer's block
  1. When variance in responses is a plus
  1. Coding
  1. As a reviewer
Using AI Like an Idiot
  1. The best available human could do it better
  1. Not critically assesing every output/when it is hard to identify errors
  1. Understanding of fact and fiction/questions about the wider world/events that may be influenced by a political/culture narrative
  1. Very specific and innovative fields
  1. Things AI is bad at (lone banana problem, how many r's in strawberry)
  1. When the mental effort is part of the benefit
GPT or bust?
Leaps forward in science
GenAI as a mirror
RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) Systems
A search engine made just for us?
The Rise of 'Deep Research'
What does this all mean?
AI won't replace subject experts but subject experts who know how to use AI, will have a HUGE advantage.
AI should be invited to every meeting you have
Can it be Trusted? '10×5' rule
What is the cost of not adapting AI?
Prof. Tu Youyou
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