Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a type of programmed or algorithm-based software system that attempts to mimic elements of human intelligence. AI often uses Machine Learning, where a computer is programmed with the intent and capability to recognise, learn and apply new information to a given situation.

There are two main types of AI, Weak AI and Strong AI [1].

  • Weak AI - or Narrow AI - is designed to do specific tasks and can only do the narrowly defined set of jobs it is programmed for. Examples of Weak AI include the familiar Apple Siri or Google Alexa tools that listen and respond to defined speech or text requests.
  • Strong AI, by contrast, is designed to be more human-like, with flexibility in the functions it can perform. It is programmed to learn, adapt, reason, make decisions, problem-solve, and create content.

Generative Artificial Intelligence (Generative AI) is a type of Strong AI, which takes what it has learned from its programming - from huge training databases and online information - to create new content. Creations may be in the form of images, video, text, or even music and art with some Generative AI tools being capable of multimodal creation - that is of creating both texts and images [2]. For example, in the case of text creation, Generative AI systems rely on very large language data sets and use this data to structure and predict how sentences are built and information can be conveyed.

Not all AI is Generative AI. It is, however, Generative AI that has captured most attention of late and is the domain of AI that has provoked most educational interest. As mentioned, Generative AI is capable of creating many different outputs: see the list below the infographic for some examples.

Please read our guide on to learn more about how Generative AI impacts Academic Integrity. 

Infographic explainging Generative AI created using Generative AI tools.
Source: Visual Capitalist (2023) see source for reuse permission.

Some current examples of Generative AI technologies include:

Images
Video
Audio
Prose
Last Revised

Apr 2023.

References

Visual Capitalist (2023) Generative AI Infographic, Main [image], available: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/generative-ai-explained-by-ai/ [accessed 17 Apr 2023].

Footnotes

[1] IBM. What is artificial intelligence? Topic Post. n/d. (Accessed 17 Apr 2023).
[2] Bushwick, S. What the New GPT-4 AI Can Do. Scientific American, March 2023. (Accessed 20 Apr 2023).