These sixty minute, weekly sessions – facilitated by Technologists and Pedagogy Experts from the CTLT – are designed for faculty and staff at UBC who are using, or thinking about using, Generative AI tools as part of their teaching, researching, or daily work. Each week we discuss the news of the week, highlight a specific tool for use within teaching and learning, and then hold a question and answer session for attendees.

They run on Zoom every Wednesday from 1pm – 2pm and you can register for upcoming events on the CTLT Events Website.

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News of the Week

Each week we discuss several new items that happened in the Generative AI space over the past 7 days. There’s usually a flood of new AI-adjacent news every week – as this industry is moving so fast – so we highlight news articles which are relevant to the UBC community.

Here’s this week’s news:

When Medical A.I. is Lifesaving – This article discusses a significant advance in medical A.I. through a randomized trial in Taiwan that demonstrated a 17% reduction in all-cause mortality among patients using AI-assisted electrocardiogram alerts. Highlighting the specific benefits in high-risk patients, the trial marks a milestone by potentially exceeding the effectiveness of some well-established medical treatments.

How Americans feel about AI’s role in their careers – A recent YouGov survey reveals significant concern among Americans regarding AI’s impact on jobs, with a majority fearing increased automation and job cuts. However, there is also a strong belief that K-12 education should integrate AI skills to prepare students for future careers.

NIST AI Challenges – NIST’s AI initiatives focus on the development of trustworthy AI systems. These efforts are structured around promoting safety, security, accountability, and transparency in AI technologies. NIST works on various research projects and engages with public stakeholders to set standards and improve the reliability of AI systems.

Apple releases eight small AI language models for on-device use – Apple introduced a series of small, source-available AI language models called OpenELM, designed to operate on devices like smartphones. These models, which range from 270 million to 3 billion parameters, are part of an effort to enable powerful AI capabilities directly on user devices, enhancing privacy and reducing reliance on cloud computing.

Notes on gpt2-chatbot – Simon Willison provides insights into the experimental gpt2-chatbot, noting its impressive response capabilities that match or exceed those of GPT-4 Turbo. Despite the lack of official documentation or transparency about the model, users are actively engaging and sharing their experiences with this potentially new version of OpenAI’s language models.

DuckDuckGo AI Chat – DuckDuckGo has developed an AI chat feature that prioritizes user privacy, ensuring that inputs (prompts) and outputs from the chat are not stored or used to track users. This service uses models from various providers under strict privacy terms, making it possible to interact with AI without compromising personal data security.

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Tool of the Week

Each week we demonstrate a Generative AI tool that can be used within teaching and learning. The GenAI space is evolving rapidly, and as such we demo new tools or new ways people use those tools.

As a reminder not all tools we showcase have successfully been through the PIA process at UBC.

Tool of the Week: Msty

What is Msty?

Msty is a versatile desktop application designed for easy interaction with both local and online large language models (LLMs). It simplifies the setup process, allowing users to start engaging with AI models immediately without the need for extensive technical knowledge. Msty supports a variety of AI models and is tailored for user-friendliness and efficiency.

How is it used?

Users can get started with Msty in just three clicks, bypassing complex setups typically associated with LLMs. The platform facilitates simultaneous interactions with multiple AI models, enabling users to compare and select the best responses. It includes features such as refining prompts, managing conversation branches, and using pre-made or custom prompts for efficient communication.

What is it used for?

Msty is ideal for individuals who need to run AI models without internet access or those who prioritize data privacy. It caters to developers and non-technical users alike, providing a seamless interface to operate AI models for various tasks, from simple inquiries to complex data analysis, all while ensuring that personal data remains secure on the user’s device.

For more details and user experiences, visit Msty.

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Questions and Answers

Each studio ends with a question and answer session whereby attendees can ask questions of the pedagogy experts and technologists who facilitate the sessions. We have published a full FAQ section on this site. If you have other questions about GenAI usage, please get in touch.