The University has produced some videos to help you understand what Generative AI (GenAI) is and how can it be used in your studies.
A group of students from University of Southampton discuss how they use GenAI, they explore the benefits but also the drawbacks.
Environmental and Ethical Issues
The power and water resources used during the creation and then operation of Generative AI and the impact this has on the environment is an area of concern. There are also social and ethical considerations including the exploitation of human labour to review the content in these tools. The material used by these tools has been scrapped from the internet this therefore contains bias, misrepresentation and marginalization of some groups.
The following resources can help in understanding the issues and considerations you may want to reflected on when planning your use of GenAI.
Artificial intelligence and the Environment: Taking a responsible approach - JISC in September 2024 produced this advice and guidance which looks at both the negative and positive environmental impacts of AI and some thoughts on how to be more responsible when using AI. A follow up titled Artificial Intelligence and the Environment: The Current Landscape (March 2025), provides an update as Generative AI becomes even more integrated into our digital infrastructure.
Amherst University have produced an informative guide to Responsible Engagement with AI which included a set of questions that help when considering the reasons for using GenAI and the potential costs or harms.
The Sustainability Agency has collated data which presents an overview of the environment impact of GenAI. The statements below shows impact both in the training and use of GenAI tools.
Training AI models produces 626,000 of CO2 which is equivalent to nearly 5X the lifetime emissions of the average car
Generating a single image can use as much energy as half a smartphone charge
A short conversation of 20-50 questions and answers on ChatGPT uses half a litre of fresh water
You may want to consider using alternatives such as Ecosia a search engine and AI chat tool used by 20 million people worldwide which plants trees and invests in dedicated climate action.
Generative AI tools are extremely powerful and can generate a huge amount of content. However, AI can also be disruptive and it is important that in an academic context it is used ethically and transparently; it must not be used to replace your own work and opinion.
AI is already being adopted in the workplace and it is important that you are prepared with the skills and knowledge for its use, including an awareness of the limitations and risks. However, over reliance can impact on your ability to develop the key skills such as critical thinking, analysis and writing which will be crucial to your success after your studies.
The University does not have a blanket restriction on the use of AI tools but does expect the fundamental principle that all work you submit must be your own. Assignments produced wholly or partly using AI tools and submitted as your own work without acknowledgement will be treated as academic misconduct.
Your tutors will provide clear guidance on whether AI tools can or cannot be used in a particular assignment. Where use of AI is permitted you should bear in mind the need for academic integrity and honesty and avoidance of academic misconduct.
Hope’s Generative AI Guidance document outlines how GenAI can be used to support your learning, and how GenAI should and should not be used. There are also some tips to help you.
The University's Academic Misconduct Policy highlights the policy on academic integrity, including the use of GenAI.
The Academic Practice AI Checklist ensures that you have followed good academic practice in any use of GenAI before submitting your work.
You might also want to watch this short video Academic Misconduct and AI: 7 essential tips to protect yourself as a student! produced by Dr Tadhg Blommerde from Northumbria University which covers areas such as transparency, documenting use of AI, showcasing your critical thinking, understanding University policies and time management.
The Use of Generative AI Tools Declaration Form can be attached to your assignment to show when you have used a generative AI tool. You should include the details of the AI tool used, how you have used it and your search prompts.
Studiosity provides 24/7 writing support including feedback on a piece of writing. Information about this resource and it’s availability can be found on the Study Skills Moodle.
Research Assistant on OneSearch allows you to search the library’s resources using this AI tool which allows you to search using natural language as a starting point to your research. Research Assistant is only accessing reliable academic resources such as journal articles and textbooks. Watch this short video to find out how to use OneSearch.
Research
ResearchRabbit helps you to search for papers and authors, monitor for new literature and visualize research landscapes.
LitMaps help you to search for papers and with literature reviews.
