The use of AI tools is extensive and these tools will continue to evolve, including being integrated as assistants in all "data tools" we use. AI tools have the potential to streamline both work and study life, and being able to use these tools will be an important skill in the future job market. This refers to "good" use. If you are considering using AI tools in your studies, remember this:

An exam task is an individual, independent work. Follow the rules given in your subject and any additional information specified in the specific task/exam. See more in the Tools Box section on Guidelines for Use.
Citations: AI tools are not considered relevant sources for academic content! See more detailed information in the Tools Box section Citing an AI Tool in APA Style.
Academic language: Be aware that AI tools do not always present topics accurately, and that the terminology used is sometimes unfamiliar or strange. We emphasize that you should use the academic language that we have utilized in the subject and that is used in Norway in general.
False sources: AI can provide false sources, and citing these as valid and credible can raise suspicions of cheating.

Warning: Do not use ChatGPT, Copilot or Gemini to "retrieve"/find source references!

AI tools like ChatGPT, Copilot and Gemini can provide you with source references that appear genuine, but are actually fabricated. Using such false references is considered serious cheating in academia.

You can use these AI tools to:

understand academic topics and concepts
get help with structure, language, and formulations

If you receive source references from an AI tool, you must always:

check if the source actually exists in OriaLinks to an external site. or academic databasesLinks to an external site.
read the original source yourself before referencing it. Even if AI provides author names, titles, and page numbers, there is no guarantee that the information is accurate. There is a greater chance that it is not correct! You are responsible for verifying everything you refer to.

Good ways to use AI tools may include

Brainstorming/idea generation: If you feel stuck, need a push, or want to get motivated, AI tools can help you get started on your project/assignment.
Language improvement: Get feedback on a paragraph you have formulated by asking, for example, "How do you understand this paragraph?", proofreading, and translation.
Research assistance: Get help formulating a research question, a "catchy" title for your assignment, suggestions for resources to consult for answering questions, and help understanding things you find difficult, such as something in a research article.
Assistance with information/literature searches: When you need information on a topic and a nudge to start your literature search process, you can ask for search terms. Different researchers use different terms for the same topic; an AI tool can also provide you with synonyms.
Practicing interview techniques: You can simulate interview situations to practice your interview skills and communication. You can play the role of a personal trainer while the AI acts as a client with a specific health challenge. Or you can ask for help in formulating questions for interview subjects in your qualitative assignment, getting assistance in sharpening the questions, making them "clear-cut".
Sparring partner, e.g., about the research question, content (keywords) to include in text, video, or podcast.
Generating codes, etc.
Compiling texts, paraphrasing.
Explaining simple concepts.

See more in the Tools Box section on How to Use a Chatbot for Language Correction?

Possible Advantages

Time-saving (?)
Can, with proper use, foster critical thinking
A useful tool for writing assistance, e.g., for dyslexia and others.
A personal assistant that can explain simple concepts
A mentor that asks you questions about your text
Can generate practice questions and tests based on a text

It is also recommended that you first think independently about what you, based on your knowledge of the topic and the goals of the assignment, believe. This is to avoid becoming so bound by the suggestions that the AI tool provides that you "lose" your own creativity. The ability to think creatively and independently is important and can be hindered by overuse of these powerful tools.

Limitations

An AI chatbot is merely a text generator that does not have any reasoning behind the text it produces. It also does not fact-check the information in the text.
It does not really know what it is talking about; it simply suggests words based on probability. It statistically predicts the order of words that are most likely based on the datasets they have been trained on. The datasets, which are often human-created, such as Wikipedia and others, may contain errors, misunderstandings, misinformation, and biases. As long as you do not know what the sources actually are, it is difficult to be source-critical. This means that you can never trust the sentences that the model creates – all content must be verified.
May fabricate sources and references (fake sources and references).
The models that are "open" on the market may not be compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Therefore, avoid sharing anything that may contain personal data in the broadest sense of the word.
If you load materials created by others (images, texts, etc.), you risk violating copyright.