AI: Tips & Tools from Your Librarians: Guidance & Policies
Here you will find lists of useful guidance and policies from Virginia Tech and broader up to the national level and beyond.
Overall, make sure to use AI responsibly - record your use to disclose or cite later, think when using, and check what is allowed for your projects!
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Considering Generative AI and ChatGPT at Virginia Tech: from TLOS, offers resources and recommendations for faculty, staff and students, includes guidance for courses and Honor code considerations
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Using Generative AI During Research Activities: guidance from ORI discussing ethics and responsibilities for researchers, also has a comprehensive list of resources and relevant Virginia Tech policies
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Generative AI Graduate School Statement: from the Dean of the Graduate School and TLSO, offers advice and tips for faculty who teach/supervise graduate students with Honor Code considerations
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PDN AI Sessions: for faculty and graduate students, offered by TLOS, covers many applications of of AI in the classroom and beyond, be sure to check TLOS for more updates too (tlos.vt.edu)
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Generative AI Learning Community: for faculty - sign up for occasional emails including conversations about AI at Virginia Tech, upcoming events and more
From February 2025's Campus Notice:
"As generative AI tools gain a greater presence in higher education, it is important to consider the potential security risks of using these tools, as well as their potential benefits, and to follow best practices to protect university data, your privacy, and the privacy of others.
We ask that all members of our community not share any personal, sensitive or high-risk data in publicly available AI platforms (e.g. ChatGPT.com, DeepSeek.com). When such data is shared with open and publicly available AI tools, it can expose individuals and organizations to security, privacy, copyright, and intellectual property risks.
Virginia Tech’s policies and security guidelines emphasize that sharing high-risk data outside secure, university-approved platforms is prohibited unless there is a legitimate, approved purpose with adequate safeguards in place. To mitigate these risks, please ensure that any sensitive data is only shared within the appropriate, secure platforms or under guidelines set by Virginia Tech."
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Executive Order on Artificial Intelligence (Jan 2024): $600,000 proposed to pilot AI in state agencies, read the full text of Executive Order 30 here
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AI Education Guidelines: outlines guiding principles for use, suggests strategies for classrooms, and defines roles and responsibilities
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AI Policy and Information Technology Standards: includes technology/IT considerations such as for web systems plus outlines ethical and transparent use
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Designing for Education with Artificial Intelligence: An Essential Guide for Developers (2024): report by the US Department of Education, supports those designing AI systems to ensure their applicability to the academic market
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Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence (Oct 2023): White House response covering use, innovation, American workers, privacy/risks, and much more
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Inventorship Guidance for AI-Assisted Inventions (Feb 2024): US Patent and Trademark Office's response to AI for inventions, applies to patents filled before, on or after February 13, 2024 (public comments accepted through May 13th)
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AI-related Resources & Guidance from USPTO: includes example AI-assisted inventions plus petition decisions related to AI
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Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Teaching and Learning (May 2023): from the Department of Education, covers advantages and risks to AI in education and recommends human-in-the-loop, not replacing teachers
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Use of AI in the NSF Merit Review Process (Dec 2023): NSF currently does not allow uploading of proposal information to a GenAI tool (confidentiality issue), but proposers need to indicate use (if used) in proposal development