As new and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (“AI”) become more prominent and prevalent in all aspects of society, this technology will play an increasingly important role in Extension’s efforts to connect with North Carolinians.

In order for Extension to remain the leading source of trusted, research-based information of the highest quality for our stakeholders, we must lay the groundwork for the strategic, successful use of AI in Extension.

Page Menu

• AI Overview
• Background and Context
• Guiding Principles
• Approved AI Tools
• University AI Resources
• Best Practices and Considerations

AI Overview

Artificial Intelligence, or AI, refers to the intelligence of machines or software, as opposed to the intelligence of people or animals. AI involves computers, robots, software, etc. that have the ability to perform tasks associated with intelligent beings.

“Generative AI,” for example, refers to digital tools – like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini chatbots – that can generate an increasingly broad range of content, including text, images, videos, audio and more. They continuously learn and refine their outputs based on user interactions and the data used to program them.

That said, AI tools cannot replicate the complexities of human reasoning, particularly related to moral, ethical and other contexts. In short, these are tools to augment your expertise and ingenuity, not replace them.
 

Watch this short BBC video for an informative big-picture overview of AI:
Five Things You Need to Know About AI

Background and Context

Advancements in AI are accelerating at a dizzying rate, with a variety of applications already available to assist with many Extension-related activities.

Whether it’s planning crop and soil treatments, translating resources into other languages, managing personal nutrition, monitoring livestock health, identifying plants or crafting everyday content, AI can play a supportive role in developing and delivering valuable resources to our stakeholders.

Our goal here is to share guidelines and best practices that facilitate the responsible, productive use of AI tools among Extension and other NC State employees.

• This is NOT a formal policy or regulation at this time
• This IS an effort to share foundational guidance and best practices

AI is a complex, rapidly evolving topic. Likewise, our approach here is fluid.

• This is NOT comprehensive or final information
• This IS a living resource that will evolve and expand as we learn

Back to Top

Guiding Principles

NC State University Communications and Marketing (UComm) has developed foundational principles and guidance to aid and enhance our use of generative AI tools. Below is a condensed list refined for our Extension experts.

• We believe in a human-centered approach to AI that empowers and augments our experts. AI technologies are tools; they cannot replace human reasoning and decision-making and should be treated as assistive — not autonomous — tools.
• We believe in the importance of upskilling and reskilling professionals and using AI to increase productivity and efficiency, better serve our stakeholders and build more fulfilling careers and lives.
• As the experts, we remain accountable for all decisions and outcomes when assisted by AI. We commit to verifying the accuracy, appropriateness (see Vanderbilt example) and quality of all AI-generated content.
• We believe in the power of communication to educate, influence and effect beneficial change. As such, we will always use AI tools in ways regarded as ethical, honest and professional.
• AI-generated materials have a high probability of utilizing another person’s copyrighted or trademarked material. We will take great care to ensure that all final AI-generated products have been carefully reviewed and, where necessary, modified to avoid plagiarism.
• Transparency in AI usage is essential to maintaining the trust of our audiences and stakeholders. We will strive to disclose the use of AI tools in any resources that were created with or significantly derived from AI-generated outputs.
• We believe in partnering with organizations and people who share our principles.

Back to Top

Approved University AI Tools

NC State’s Office of Information Technology (OIT) encourages the use of approved generative AI tools whenever possible, including ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, Microsoft’s Copilot and Grammarly. Find more details below:

• Approved Enterprise AI Tools (OIT)

You must use your NC State account when utilizing the approved applications; personal accounts are not allowed to be used with university data. Using your NC State account also ensures that your data is not used to train public AI models.

These or other AI tools should only be used with university data that’s not considered highly sensitive (learn more about data classification).

Back to Top

University AI Resources

Discover more university resources that offer valuable AI guidance, tips and tools:

N.C. A&T AI Resources

• Generative AI Resources
• AI-Generated Content Guidelines

NC State AI Resources

• AI Guidance for Communicators (UComm)

  Find examples of acceptable and prohibited uses of AI, which should be used in conjunction with the guiding principles to help provide direction.

• Keeping Private University Data Private When Using AI (OIT)
• Resources for Navigating AI in Higher Education (Provost’s Office)
• Guides and Tutorials for Using AI in Research
• Using Generative AI for Efficient Teaching and Work (DELTA)
• How AI Is Reshaping the Marketing Landscape (Poole College)

Moving forward, we will adjust our approach to AI accordingly as the opportunities and issues related to Extension are better understood, as well as to keep pace with ongoing changes in technology, organizational policies, legal standards and other related factors.

Back to Top

Best Practices and Considerations

We’ve placed emphasis on generative AI like ChatGPT, which is one of the most widely-used, accessible and potentially valuable tools for Extension. Other chatbot examples include Google’s Gemini and Microsoft’s Copilot, while writing tools such as Grammarly and visual platforms like OpenAI’s DALL-E 3 and even Canva are but a few examples among many applications.

Aside from some specific tips, the best practices below can be applied to a variety of AI applications. Above all, AI must be approached with respect, used responsibly, and balanced with strategic judgment and principles.

• Review Examples of Acceptable and Prohibited Uses of AI
• Download ChatGPT Best Practices (Google Slides | PDF)

It’s Here to Stay

• AI is here to stay – we must learn to use it to our advantage
• How can we leverage AI to help augment our expertise/resources?

Be Mindful of Privacy

• AI tools like ChatGPT store every piece of info you share – don’t include anything you don’t want in the cloud!
• E.g. Personal ID details, client / stakeholder info, proprietary research, accounts, discriminatory language, etc.
   
  View OIT guidance on AI and sensitive university data

Not Just a Search Engine

• ChatGPT is a versatile tool that can assist with a variety of tasks (especially content generation)
• If you’re not sure whether it can help, give it a try!

You’re The Expert, Not the AI

• Don’t rely on the tool for subject-matter expertise in your area!
• Either plug in YOUR knowledge and let it help format / flesh it out or use the tool to generate a framework within which you can insert your expertise
• Carefully vet ALL responses from ChatGPT and all AI for accuracy, language/tone, redundancy, appropriateness, etc.

Be Cautious of Bias and Inaccuracies

• Generative AI mimics humans’ online behavior, which is not always accurate, appropriate, etc.
• These tools draw from enormous datasets that often include bias, which can be further skewed by user patterns or “algorithmic bias” over time
• Again, review and vet all responses!

Engage and Experiment (Thoughtfully)

• Don’t be afraid to use it and experiment
• “Talk” to it and try different prompts to see what works best
• Be clear and specific with your queries
• Provide situational context and only give it one primary task at a time (break into steps if needed)

Write Effective Prompts

• When crafting a prompt, imagine you’re giving an assignment to an intern — be specific and consider three key components:
1. Background / Priming — Tell the AI a bit about the brand and/or your program, along with the role it should play. E.g., “You are a marketing manager creating content for (your brand’s) Facebook page. (Your brand) shares scientific knowledge from NC State University across North Carolina, providing people with practical solutions to improve their lives.”
2. Core Question — What do you want the AI to do (and to whom is it talking)? E.g., “Generate a social media post that tells young families in the Raleigh metro about (the brand’s new resource or event).” Add details as needed.
3. Output / Format — What do you want the output to look like? E.g., “This update should be a short social media post, less than 300 characters, and be formatted so it can be pasted directly into Facebook.”
• Remember that these tools are interactive, so if you don’t like your first response, revise and/or add more detail and try again.
• How to write ChatGPT prompts for the best results
• 7 advanced ChatGPT prompt-writing tips

Use it as a Draft Generator / Starting Point to Build on:

• Creating an outline for a letter, agenda, memo, etc.
• Drafting a message or social post using your info / data
• Creating a table
• Help with HTML for webpage
• View examples from EIT.

Be Responsible and Careful 

• Ongoing debates, issues and even legal proceedings regarding copyright, use of NIL, etc. (e.g. hard to know if copyrighted content is being pulled)
• Another evolving issue involves use of disclaimers on AI-generated content
• Did we mention to review and vet all responses before running with them?

Back to Top