Guidance for Using Generative AI Tools and Building Applications

Working document disclaimer

This document is provided as a working draft and is subject to revisions, updates, and further refinement. The guidance and policies contained herein are subject to change as our understanding of generative AI tools and their applications evolves. We welcome feedback and contributions from the academic community to enhance the document’s content and ensure that it reflects the most current best practices in the responsible use of generative AI. We appreciate your understanding and collaboration as we work together to promote ethical and innovative AI applications within our academic environment.

Welcome to the world of generative AI

Welcome to the world of generative AI and their versatile applications in building innovative solutions. These AI technologies offer powerful tools for creative problem-solving ideas and applications. However, their use must be accompanied by a strong commitment to ethical, responsible, and lawful practices. This document is intended to provide students with comprehensive guidelines for using generative AI tools and responsibly developing applications with them.

Guidance for Using Generative AI Tools and Building Applications

1. Responsible AI: Crafting Ethical and Responsible Contents

  • Generative AI tools empower us to create content. Use this power responsibly by ensuring that the generated content adheres to ethical and legal standards.
  • Refrain from generating content that promotes harm, bias, discrimination, misinformation, or any form of unethical behavior. Test results/contents that may have embed such unethical behavior and avoid using them.
  • Avoid any misuse of generative AI tools, including harassment, hate speech, plagiarism, or any illegal activities.

2. Limitation on created contents: Understanding the Limits of Generated Contents

  • Recognize that user of AI-generated results/contents should bear the ultimate accountability in using them.
  • Recognize the issues of confident responses produced by AI tools that are inaccurate or incoherent with the context, also known as hallucination, and the implications of prompt engineering in AI-generated results/contents.
  • Consider whether AI-generated results/contents encourage or discourage diversity and conformity.

3. Data Protection: Safeguarding User Data

  • Ensure that the data used with AI tools complies with the University’s privacy and data protection regulations (https://hku.hk/about/policies_reports/ privacy_policy.html).
  • Do not collect any unnecessary personal data from users that is not relevant to the application’s functionality.
  • Clearly inform individuals who utilize AI tools about the data to be collected and how the data will be used.
  • Understand fully how personal data inputted to AI tools will be used beyond generating immediate results.
  • Please seek approval from Human Research Ethics Committee (https://www.rss.hku.hk/integrity/ethics-compliance/hrec) before collecting any data for research purposes.

4. Intellectual Property: Respecting Ownership Rights

  • Ensure compliance with the University’s Intellectual Property Rights Policy (https://www.rss.hku.hk/contracts/ipr). Do not use copyrighted materials, including those generated by AI tools, without proper authorization.
  • Encourage collaboration among students while ensuring proper credit for contributions to projects involving generative AI. Give credit where it’s due.

5. Usage for Teaching and Learning: Not for Commercial Activities or Production Deployment

  • The generative AI tools provided by Innovation Wing are intended for teaching and learning purposes, prototyping, and non-production use only. They should not be used to support commercial activities or software deployment.

6. Account Security: Protecting Access

  • Safeguard your AI tools’ account credentials.
  • Do not share login information. Promptly report any suspicious activities related to your account.

7. Limitations of Liability of Innovation Wing: Acknowledging the Role of Innovation Wing

  • Innovation Wing provides access to AI tools for educational purposes but does not endorse or assume responsibility for the content generated or the applications developed using these tools.
  • Innovation Wing shall not be held responsible for any damages, losses, or consequences arising from the use of generative AI tools or applications. By using these tools and applications, you acknowledge and agree that Innovation Wing is not liable for any claims, damages, or losses that may result from your use or activities related to generative AI tools or applications. It is your responsibility to use these resources in compliance with legal and ethical standards.

8. Resource Availability: Access and Planning

  • Access to generative AI tools may be limited, and their availability is subject to change. Students should plan their usage accordingly and consider alternative approaches if necessary.

9. Governing Law: Legal Jurisdiction

  • These terms and conditions are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Hong Kong.
  • Any dispute arising from these terms and conditions will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Hong Kong courts.

As you embark on your journey with generative AI tools and their applications, remember that innovation must always be accompanied by responsibility. By following these guidelines, you can harness the potential of generative AI while respecting legal and ethical boundaries. Together, we can ensure the development of meaningful, responsible, and impactful applications that benefit society as a whole.