Listen Now:
We’re joined by first-time guest Lacey W. Heinsberg, PhD, RN, on this week’s episode of the Faculty Factory Podcast to examine many of the ethical considerations surrounding the widespread use of generative AI tools (ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Claude, etc.).
Dr. Heinsberg is Assistant Professor of Health Promotion & Development in the School of Nursing, and of Human Genetics in the School of Public Health, at the University of Pittsburgh. She also serves as Co-Director of the Genomics of Patient Outcomes HUB in the School of Nursing.
It feels difficult to opt out of using generative AI without there being serious consequences to our careers, yet as we learn in today’s episode, it’s a deeply personal choice whether to use it and how much to use it.
Personal Code of Conduct
Dr. Heinsberg created her own personal code of conduct about using generative AI and discussed this in the interview today. Some of its themes include: “Enhance it, don’t replace it” and staying aligned with her own institution’s AI use policy.
There is almost a certain slippery slope facing us all when it comes to an overreliance on generative AI. Writing is thinking, so if AI is writing for us, are we thinking more deeply? Is this harming our critical thinking?
“When does trust but verify become ‘why bother using it at all?”, she said.
Broaching Tough Questions
No one has all the answers to this, but it is important to be discussing this with your teams and to embrace these tough questions. Other recurring themes in this episode include:
- Authenticity.
- Integrity.
- Transparency (and where the line is between ghostwriting and flat-out generation of unoriginal text).
If you’re not sure where to get started on your code of conduct policies, or if you have any other questions, you can reach out to her directly via email: law145@pitt.edu.