MATH 399: Senior Seminar (HC) Fall 2025

In general, gen AI models are are fundamentally different from search engines because
they "generate" original content rather than retrieving existing content.

Use your skills of critical thinking: What do you think of these search engine results vs. gen AI results?

Google Scholar search

Chat GPT

#1

#2

#3

#4

Some gen AI models are geared toward literature searching--i.e. returning links to actual journal articles--but those require a paid subscription in most cases. The majority of gen AI models provide summaries of information. 

Google Scholar vs. ChatGpt details

NOTE: I'm not endorsing (or necessarily dissuading) your use of gen AI; I'm simply educating you since it's becoming ubiquitous

ALSO NOTE: The points below reflect my thoughts *today*. Gen AI is constantly evolving, and my thoughts may also evolve.

AND ALSO NOTE: Your professor's policy on gen AI overrides my thoughts below.

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Possible acceptable uses

• Add to your existing body of knowledge
  • e.g. clarify unfamiliar words, concepts, or references from class meetings or readings
     
• Help understand new (to you) concepts, but only with the intention of verifying against other reputable sources
   
• Brainstorm ideas - possible research questions, the big unanswered questions, etc.
   
• Help gather vocabulary and search words around your topic
   
• Suggest a preliminary outline for your literature review
   
• Proofread text you've written

      ***Always disclose your use of gen AI!

Weaknesses/problems

• The average person does not know how to use gen AI effectively (esp. poor prompt writing)
   
• Ethical considerations
   
• Missing information
  • The corpus of information is limited; garbage in/garbage out and vice-versa
    • ArXiv (open) vs. Elsevier Publishing (paywalled)
    • Some publishers have licensed content to AI companies without telling authors who have signed away their rights in the publishing process (good for the corpus of information, but borders on unethical)
       
• Inaccurate information
  • If the AI model is trained on inaccurate data, it will output inaccurate data
  • Sources/references may simply be fake (AKA "hallucinations")
     
• Decline of critical thinking
  • Doing things the easy way = little deep learning

*Takeaways*

Exercise good judgement: just because you can use gen AI in every workflow doesn’t mean you should use it in every workflow.

Always cross-check information you get from gen AI against reliable sources, such as peer-reviewed journal articles; i.e. avoid using gen AI output as your only source!