The Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence

What is Illinois State’s Position on Generative AI?

In response to escalating concerns surrounding the deployment and repercussions of AI (Gen AI and broader AI), institutions of higher learning have developed sets of principles to steer institutional communities towards responsible AI development and application. While these principles vary in style and scope, they converge on key themes such as responsibility, suitability, transparency, accuracy, safety, privacy, inclusion, diversity, equity, and the promotion of collective welfare of the Illinois State community. Drawing upon these common themes and insights, the interdivisional Committee for the Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence at Illinois State University advocates for the University’s adoption of responsible AI principles to govern its procurement, development, implementation, and monitoring of AI technologies within its service provisions.

Guiding Principles

1. Responsible Use

The University will be responsible for the AI tools it develops and will consider the use of all AI systems in its service provisions, promoting alignment with these principles. The University will build a culture of ethical and principled use of AI in teaching, learning, scholarship, and university operations and activities.

2. Suitability

The University recognizes the critical role of human knowledge, experience, emotion, imagination, and creativity, and seeks to explore and promote emerging career paths and opportunities for creative professionals while also emphasizing the importance of upskilling and reskilling professionals. Illinois State, through the utilization of AI to enhance productivity and efficiency, aims to cultivate more fulfilling careers and lives. The University will assess the potential advantages and drawbacks of AI alongside the needs and priorities of those impacted to determine how AI can and should be incorporated at Illinois State.

3. Transparency

The University recognizes that maintaining transparency in AI usage is crucial for preserving the trust of our audiences and stakeholders. Individuals should be informed when AI tools are being used. The processes behind their functioning should be understandable whenever possible, enabling individuals to comprehend AI-generated outcomes, mechanisms for contesting them, and develop effective solutions for addressing any negative consequences.

4. Accuracy

The University is dedicated to ensuring the accuracy of information created by or added to AI tools it supports. The University acknowledges the indispensable role of human fact-checkers. Illinois State takes responsibility for any AI-assisted information incorporated into our communication materials. The University believes that all users of AI are responsible to confirm that information created or modified by AI tools is accurate.

5. Equity and Biases

The University will take deliberate steps to minimize unintended bias in AI capabilities by developing a process to evaluate AI tools for bias and discriminatory tendencies, establishing protocols to preemptively detect, mitigate, and rectify such issues to prevent unintended harm.

6. Privacy and Protection

The University will maximize the privacy and security of individuals and their personal data when considering the use of AI-enabled tools. Illinois State will follow applicable privacy laws and best practices when using personal data. The University will provide guidance to the community to ensure AI systems and tools have appropriate security measures to protect data used by those systems. AI systems and tools must adhere to data governance policies and practices for institutional data. Institutional data includes information created, collected, maintained, transmitted, or recorded by or for the university to conduct university operations.

7. Human-Centered Values

The University will advocate for an AI approach that prioritizes human involvement by empowering and enhancing professionalism. AI technologies should be viewed as supportive tools, not autonomous agents, and may not be considered suitable for all aspects of official University operations.