Getting Started with AI at Boise State University

Generative AI creates new content by identifying patterns in large amounts of existing data and predicting what comes next. It doesn't search for answers like a search engine; instead, it generates responses based on the information it learned during training.

• Boise State University Supported AI Tools

AI can produce responses that sound thoughtful and intelligent, but it does not think, reason, or understand information the way humans do. It predicts likely words and patterns based on its training rather than forming beliefs, opinions, or true comprehension.

AI can be excellent at brainstorming ideas, summarizing information, drafting content, and explaining concepts. However, it can also miss context, make mistakes, or present incorrect information confidently, so it should be viewed as a helpful assistant rather than an authority.

Because AI generates responses based on patterns rather than verifying facts in real time, it can occasionally create information that sounds believable but is incorrect or entirely made up. This is why important information should always be reviewed and verified using trusted sources.

AI performs best when it understands your goal, audience, and situation. Providing context helps the AI generate responses that are more relevant and useful.

Try It: Ask AI to "write an email about a meeting." Then revise your prompt to include details such as the audience, purpose, tone, and desired length. Compare the two responses and notice how additional context improves the result.

Getting a useful response from AI is often an iterative process. Follow-up questions allow you to clarify, expand, or improve the original output.

Try It: Ask AI to create a draft announcement. Then follow up with prompts such as "Make it shorter," "Use a friendlier tone," or "Create three alternative versions." Observe how the response evolves with each revision.

AI can assist at multiple stages of a task, from brainstorming ideas to refining finished work. Understanding these different use cases helps you identify where AI can be most helpful.

Try It: Take a paragraph from a document you have written. Ask AI to summarize it, identify key themes, suggest improvements, and create a version for a different audience.

The quality of an AI response is closely tied to the quality of the prompt. Clear goals, specific instructions, and examples often produce more accurate and useful outputs.

Try It: Start with a simple prompt such as "Help me plan a workshop." Then create a more detailed version that includes the audience, learning objectives, timeframe, and desired outcomes. Compare the results and identify what improved.

Before using AI, learn what types of university and personal data can be safely shared with AI systems. Different AI tools have different security protections, and some types of data require special handling or cannot be entered into AI systems at all.

Boise State Resources:

• Boise State Data Use Guidelines

• Information Privacy and Data Security Policy 8060

Never enter sensitive, confidential, restricted, or personally identifiable information into AI tools unless specifically authorized by university policy. Examples may include student records, medical information, financial data, passwords, personnel records, and other protected university information.

Boise State Resources:

• Boise State Data Use Guidelines for AI

• AI for Students: Protect Yourself and Others

AI systems can reflect biases found in their training data, may produce inaccurate information, and can raise questions about intellectual property and authorship. Understanding these issues helps users evaluate AI-generated content critically and use AI responsibly and ethically.

Boise State Resources:

• Boise State GenAI Values

• AI at Boise State Homepage

Boise State provides approved AI tools, guidance, and policies to help faculty, staff, and students use AI safely and effectively. Learning these expectations helps ensure AI use aligns with university standards, academic integrity, privacy requirements, and responsible innovation.

Boise State Resources:

• AI Tools and Policy

• AI Policy Page

• boisestate.ai Platform and Playbooks

AI can make mistakes, especially when discussing facts, statistics, policies, or recent events. Always verify important information using trusted sources before relying on or sharing it.

Try It: Ask AI for a statistic or policy information, then locate the original source and compare the details.

AI-generated content may contain errors, omit important context, or reflect biases present in its training data. Review AI output carefully to ensure it is accurate, appropriate for your audience, and aligned with your goals.

Try It: Ask AI to summarize a topic you know well and look for missing details, oversimplifications, or assumptions.

AI can assist with many tasks, but it cannot replace professional judgment, subject-matter expertise, or accountability. Decisions involving people, policies, safety, legal requirements, or significant consequences should always include human review.

Try It: Compare an AI-generated recommendation with guidance from a subject matter expert and identify where human experience adds important context.

Sometimes AI generates information that sounds confident and convincing but is inaccurate, fabricated, or unsupported by evidence. Watch for suspicious citations, unverifiable claims, made-up sources, or details that cannot be confirmed elsewhere.

Try It: Ask AI to provide references on a topic, then verify that the sources, authors, and quotations actually exist and say what the AI claims they say.