When to Use AI (and When Not To): A Quick Guide for Boise State Faculty and Staff

When to Use AI (and When Not To): A Quick Guide for Boise State Faculty

Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be a powerful time-saver and idea-starter—but it’s not always the right tool for the job. Here’s a quick guide to help you decide when to lean on AI and when to proceed without it.

Use AI When You Need To...

• Brainstorm or Outline Ideas
  Get help jumpstarting your thinking—lecture topics, discussion prompts, quiz ideas, or assignment themes.

• Summarize or Reword Text
  Condense long readings, simplify technical language, or rephrase tricky emails in a professional tone.

• Draft Routine Content
  First drafts of course announcements, meeting agendas, or student feedback can be quickly generated and customized.

• Analyze or Organize Data
  AI can help sort through survey responses, identify patterns in student questions, or even generate charts from spreadsheets.

• Support Accessibility or Language Learning
  Simplify language for ESL learners or generate multiple reading levels for course materials.

Avoid AI When the Task Requires...

• Human Judgment or Personal Connection
  Grading complex assignments, mentoring students, or managing interpersonal conflict requires your experience and empathy.

• Sensitive, Private, Restricted, Confidential, or Internal Data or Student Information
  Never input protected information or personally identifiable information such as employee IDs, student names, grades, IDs, or any FERPA-protected info into public AI tools.

• Academic Integrity
  Avoid using AI to generate content for your own scholarship or publishing unless it’s clearly disclosed and allowed by the journal or department.

• Policy or Legal Interpretation
  AI can suggest summaries, but it's no substitute for official university policies or legal advice.

• Verifiable Accuracy
  AI tools sometimes “hallucinate” facts. Always double-check citations, stats, or technical claims before sharing.

• Representational Imagery or Other Media for Boise State Communication Platforms
  Brand Standards: Design Guidance on using AI

Pro Tip: Ask Yourself These 3 Questions

1. Is this task low-risk and time-consuming? → AI might help.

2. Does this task require empathy, ethics, or expertise? → You’re the expert.

3. Am I protecting student privacy and academic integrity? → Always yes!

For more tips, visit the AI in Education website or reach out to Learning Technology Solutions (LTS@boisestate.edu) for guidance.