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.

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• AI Overview
• Background and Context
• Guiding Principles
• 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 – 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

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Guiding Principles

NC State University Communications and Marketing (UComm) has developed foundational principles to help guide our use of AI, specifically related to content generation and communication efforts.

• We believe in a human-centered approach to AI that empowers and augments professionals. AI technologies are tools. They cannot replace thoughtful human decision-making and should be treated as assistive — not autonomous — technologies.
• We believe that humans remain accountable for all decisions and actions, even when assisted by AI. All AI-generated material must be carefully reviewed, approved, edited and overseen by a human author, editor or designer.
• We believe in the critical role of human knowledge, experience, emotion and imagination in creativity, and we seek to explore and promote emerging career paths and opportunities for creative professionals.
• We believe in the power of communication to educate, influence and effect change. We commit to never knowingly using generative AI technology to deceive or spread misinformation.
• We commit to verifying the accuracy of information supplied by AI. Nothing can replace the role of human fact-checkers, and we take responsibility for any AI-assisted information used in communications materials.
• AI-generated materials have a high probability of capturing another person’s copyrighted or trademarked material. Therefore, we will take great care to ensure that the final product of any AI-generated material has 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 believe in the importance of upskilling and reskilling professionals and using AI to increase productivity and efficiency and build more fulfilling careers and lives.
• We believe in partnering with organizations and people who share our principles.

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University AI Resources

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

• Examples of Acceptable and Prohibited Uses of AI (UComm)
  • These examples should be used in conjunction with the guiding principles to 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, legal standards and other related factors.

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Best Practices and Considerations

We’ve placed initial emphasis on generative AI like ChatGPT, which is one of the most widely-used, accessible and potentially valuable tools for Extension. Other prominent examples include Google’s Bard, Microsoft’s Copilot, visual platforms like OpenAI’s DALL-E 3, and writing tools such as Grammarly, among many others.

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 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?

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