Content generation using highly publicized tools such as ChatGPT and DALL-E is one of the most familiar applications of generative AI.  The quality of the generated content can be controlled by adjusting the design of the text prompts submitted to each tool. These tools can be used to generate practice questions, quizzes/assessments, discussion prompts for case studies, artificial datasets, images to supplement class materials, etc. 

Virtual coding assistants can provide real-time coding suggestions and facilitate a programmer’s learning and training process, similar in some ways to the experience of working with a human coding partner or tutor.   

Virtual coding assistants can help to reduce the amount of time it takes to write code and minimize coding errors. However, these tools do make mistakes and are not currently capable of replacing the need for developers’ application planning and coding design expertise, awareness of human factors design and usability issues, systems engineering skill, domain knowledge and intuition, etc. 

Educational software vendors are beginning to integrate AI-assisted grading features into their assessment products. These new capabilities can take a “first-pass” at grading both open-ended abstract assignments (e.g., essays) and close-ended assessments (e.g., matching questions), creating additional available time for instructors to provide detailed reviews and more in-depth feedback to students. Bentley currently supports tools like Perusal and Gradescope that provide similar functionalities.

AI tools can be used to harvest data, determine correlations and trends, group and categorize data, visualize information, and for the analysis of large data sets.  The higher-level analytical capabilities of AI tools can also be applied to literature reviews, writing abstracts, and finding relevant academic literature. Premium AI tools such as the new ChatGPT Advanced Data Analysis plugin can accomplish data cleaning and data file input (rather than just chat input).

By conversationally engaging an AI chatbot, using a judicious selection of prompts, AI tools can help users understand unfamiliar terminology, review concepts, summarize articles, brainstorm ideas, obtain feedback for written input, generate data and information visualizations in real time that facilitate understanding, translate content in other languages, and much more.